


Early Bird Special

by saltedpeppermintmocha



Series: The Runner [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - SlaveTale, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Characters will die, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Like really slow, M/M, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Racism, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader has a vagina, Slow Burn, So many pop culture references, Sorry Not Sorry, dark themes, eventual angst, reader is female, readers appearance is vague
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-01-22 11:38:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 27
Words: 92,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12480712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltedpeppermintmocha/pseuds/saltedpeppermintmocha
Summary: The monsters wonder why they thought humanity could have changed, why they believed a small child's words that their species were not the same evil creatures that they had been thousands of years ago. Why they allowed themselves to hope. As they are torn from loved ones- from family- thats all they can ask themselves. Why.-----You are a nobody, a small-town waitress just trying to get by. You don't expect anything to ever happen to you. But one day you find a man living in a cardboard box behind your diner. No, not a man, a monster. And this monster doesn't have a collar. What's a girl to do?





	1. The Kitchen Sink

"Table 4 is demanding a full refund.” 

You look up from your crepe, glaring at the speaker. Your lunch had _just_ started, damnit. Lane shrugs apologetically. “They say that they asked for no bananas and we gave them bananas and they’re allergic.” 

“Oh.” You narrow your eyes, thinking about the frustration of the morning shipment. “How rude have they been?” 

“Very.” You sigh, pushing off the milk crate seat you’d been using to stand. Quickly you pack up your lunch, and head back into the main area. It is busy, as always, and a few people waved at you as you walk by. You give them a small smile before reaching table 4. It is an older couple, typical.

“What is the problem here guys?” You smile. The old mans face turned to you with an angry look.

“Your stupid server gave me bananas! I’m allergic I can’t have bananas!” His hands moved wildly as he spoke and he glares at the girl behind you. Lane seems to shrink under the mans anger.

“Sir, please do not speak to my staff this way. It will get you nowhere. Now, first of all. As it says on our menu and on the walls throughout most of the store, we cannot guarantee all of our food will be one hundred percent allergen free.” The man grumbles to himself. “Second, I highly doubt your-“ you pause, looking at Lanes handwritten notes for the table “ eggs benedict contained bananas, since you swapped out your side of fruit for home fries. However, there is a possibility that the kitchen staff messed up.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” He grouches. The woman -wife?- looks up at you for the first time. She looked highly uncomfortable.

“Lastly, what you are saying happened is impossible.” Your smile grew larger. “As we’ve been out of bananas the entire day. The morning shipment of bananas were not in a right state to use.” The old man stutters incomprehensibly, face slowly turning red. The woman raises a hand to cover her eyes, also turning red. “So, we’ve cleared this up. There were no banana’s in your food. I’m going to return you to Lane now who will finish up your experience. Have a wonderful day.” You turn quickly, walking past Lane and into the backroom. 

You reach the backroom quickly, wanting to finish your crepe, but pause before opening the door. Two loud voices echo from within. You let out a breath of air in frustration, it is not empty anymore. So much for alone time. For a minute you stand there, weighing your options. Did you really want to go in and talk to people? The answer is a definite no. Turning to your right, you take the small hallway towards the grungy door at the end. With a small push, it opens and you are outside. It smells faintly of garbage, although the garbage people must have come recently as you see none poking out of the dumpster. You look down at your phone, only 15 minutes left of your lunch. Not enough time to go anywhere but at least you could get some peace and quiet out here. You walk a few feet from the door and lean against the wall. Looking up at the grey sky, you wonder if it’s going to storm tonight. You frown before looking down at your phone again. You have one message. 

**[from Debbie]:** movie night tn?  
You smile slightly. The girl always seemed to know when you were having a bad day. You type out a quick response. 

**[to Debbie]:** Sure. 6pm, my place?

A sound of movement, followed by a muffled gasp hits your ears. You push off from the wall, looking around. There’s nobody here. You consider going back into the diner, but curiosity forces you to stay. Feeling like the stupid girl in a horror movie, you go to investigate the noise. It sounded like it came from around the dumpsters. You walk towards them, feeling very aware of your surroundings, and start to circle the area.

It isn’t until you look at the back of the dumpsters -in the small space between the back and the wall of the building- that you see anything. You squint your eyes, trying to focus on what the shadow could be.

Movement starts behind you, and you twirl around quickly to catch the back of a person (??). It is running at an unnatural speed away from you. “W-wait!” You scream out, but the figure turns a corner and disappears. Silence falls upon the back again, broken only by an occasional bird that didn’t fly south. You stare at the corner that the figure disappeared behind for a few moments longer. Was it human or…? You turn back to the dumpster, focusing with determination at the small area behind it.

You make out a lot of cardboard, a few layers pushed up against the wall, the dumpster and the floor. It also forms a sort of ceiling a few feet above. In the small enclave is a blanket and you think you can see a few squares- home fries? It hits you instantly, this is someones home. Your eyes widen, and you look back at the corner where the figure disappeared.

Your phone starts to vibrate. An alarm, warning you of the last 5 minutes until your lunch is over. However you pause in returning, still staring at the corner. Your mind is moving quickly, trying to comprehend the severity of the situation you just witnessed. Decision made, you quickly turn into the diner and walk towards the kitchen.

“Heisenberg!” You yell as you open the door. The bald chef turns towards you quickly, but says nothing. “I need the kitchen sink in 3 minutes!” He looks at you for a minute longer, eyes narrowing, but he nods and turns to the other chef, Ceasar, beside him. _He’s always so mysterious._ You smile and step outside the door, hearing a ping from your phone.

**[from Debbie]:** sounds good! I’ll bring snacks.

You don’t respond, sliding your phone back into your pocket and head over towards the take-out containers. You grab a few, place them in the hand-off and looked around the diner as you wait. The breakfast-lunch rush was dying down slightly and the two servers look slightly relieved. Lane was taking the moment of freedom to clean the tables and floor. _This place really needs a busboy._ As much as you like Heisenberg, you will never understand why Luke decided to hire another chef instead of someone more necessary, like a waiter or busboy. At least the new chef had arrived with a neice, who had soon become the dishwasher. You hummed to yourself. The old couple from before were gone. You idly wonder if they were tech-savvy enough to write a bad review. Your name is called out from the kitchen.

There is quite a bit of food, given only a few minutes of preparation. They’d thrown together the slightly overcooked home-fries that couldn’t be served, the broken eggs, slightly burnt toast, overcooked bacon and all other small mistakes into 3 medium-sized containers. You smile at Heisenberg, who just waves you off. Grabbing the food you walk down the small hallway and back out the grungy door.

It doesn’t look like the person has returned. You slide the boxes into the cardboard ‘house’ and head back inside for your shift.

 

——————— 

 

The end of your shift couldn’t come soon enough. Your feet hurt from all the running around you did over the last ten hours. You sat down with a huff in the small office chair, leaving the door open in case anyone needed anything. After a few minutes of secretarial work, you hear a ping from your pocket. Opening your phone you see a new message from the boss. 

**[from Luke]:** I sent the schedule to your email.

You open your email on the laptop, and begin to print out the schedule.

**[to Luke]:** Sorry, can’t talk right now. Diner is burning down. 

**[from Luke]:** what 

The phone begins to ring. You ignore it, grinning. It goes to voicemail. It rings again. You don’t pick up.

**[to Luke]:** ;)

**[from Luke]:** Are you trying to kill me?!

**[to Luke]:** Back at you. Next time, come back when you say you will. Or give me a raise.

**[from Luke]:** You sound upset. Make some coffee.

You roll your eyes and put the phone in your pocket. The schedule is done printing. You grab it and post it up with the others. Shrugging on your coat, you head out. Lane gave you a wave as you left. Outside was still grey and muggy, but no rain yet. You shuffle over to your old clunky car and slide in. It takes a minute to turn on. You blast the radio as soon as possible and head out of the parking lot.

It's only when the diner is well in the distance that you even remember your earlier encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO EVERYONE
> 
> So this idea came out of nowhere to be honest, and although I have a general idea of where it's going it might change. IDK. It's gonna be a wild ride for all of us. 
> 
> Heads up it's going to be pretty slow paced, at least for the beginning :)
> 
> If you have any suggestions let me know in the comments!
> 
> -J♡


	2. The Chicken Sandwich

You arrive home an hour before Debbie is meant to show up. Rushing up the stairs to your third floor apartment, you let yourself in quickly and shed your outside apparel. Your apartment is a mess. Looking around you notice clothing thrown everywhere, some take-out containers littered about and half-empty mugs of tea. With a small sigh you start to pick things up. After twenty minutes of tidying, the place looks acceptable. _Not gonna win any awards but its only Debbie_.

You jump into the shower to clean off the dirt and grime of the day, taking an extra few minutes to stand under the warm spray and loosen your aching muscles. As you stand there, you tilt your head up towards the spray. _I hope they got the food_. Realistically, if the person didn’t come back within a few hours, rats or bugs might have gotten to it. You feel a little guilty at the idea you may have made the persons house less habitable.

Stepping out of the shower, you wrap a towel around your head and walk naked into your bedroom. There you pick out an old band t-shirt, a zip up hoodie, leggings and fuzzy socks for the night. As you are sliding on your last sock you hear the door open. “Putting food on the table!” A high-pitched voice echoed lightly in the apartment, along with shuffling sounds. You yell out a quick reply and go to meet her.

“Hello gorgeous!” Debbie smiles widely, curly hair flying as she turns to meet you. Immediately she opens her arms. You smile back, falling into her hug. “ Ready for a night of junk food and spooooky movies?” You let out a small laugh and nod. Turning off a few lights, you both head towards the couch. Debbie has brought an impressive spread of snacks starting with cut up types of melon and strawberries dipped in chocolate, to a few skeleton-decorated cupcakes, chips and gummy worms. You whistle in appreciation. She wiggles her eyebrows in return.

Sitting down, she opens her laptop. The movie is already loaded. She pulls out her HDMI cord and passes it over. You plug it into your tv and she plugs her side into the laptop. “It’s supposed to be about some women exploring caves? I don’t know. Girl at work recommended It. Said it freaked her out.” You shrug, open to anything, and she hits play.

You were not open to anything, as it turns out. The movie itself was not scary in the traditional sense, but extremely claustrophobic. You were watching most of the movie through your fingers, having to look away when two girls got stuck and unable to move through a tunnel. Then the creatures were introduced. By the end scene you were curled into yourself in the corner of the couch. The end credits run by and you both sit in silence for a moment.

“What did you think?” Debbie turns to you with a huge smile. She loved it. Of course she did, the freak. You shrug and look away.

“It freaked me out for sure.” You shove some gummy worms into your mouth to avoid explaining any more, but she doesn’t ask. Debbie puts on the second movie, the original copy of dEvil Dead. You relax, having seen this one before. After the first death scene, Debbie turns to you.

“So hows life?” She asks innocently. You frown, taking another bite of the cupcake. _What does that mean?_ You both sit in silence as you swallow. She sighs. “It's an honest question, I haven't seen you in two weeks!”

“Yea. Luke left for a conference in New York.” You roll your eyes. “I’m technically in charge while he’s gone, so I’ve been pulling lots of hours recently. At least it’s good for money?” Debbie frowns, bringing her legs up to her chest.

“Did he give you a raise at least? That’s a lot of extra work!”

“Thats what I said!” You laugh. Honestly you don’t mind as much as you put on. Luke is a good boss overall, and has put up with a lot of your shit throughout the years. “Anyways, enough of my boring life. What’s been up with you?” The mood shifts into a more upbeat one as Debbie talks about her life and all the workplace drama at the factory. The movie ends but neither of you notice, too distracted by your back and forth conversation. Debbie finishes explaining how the new girl is very much her type. You mention a cute customer that had asked for your number recently.

“So, why are you not jumping him?” She inquires. You lean back into the arm of the couch.

“I don’t know. He was nice for sure but…” You wave your hands uselessly. “he had one of those, you know, MRC hats.” Debbie nods understandably. “I just can’t get behind that, you know?”

MRC, the Monster Relations Committee, the company that manufactures and distributes monster collars to the police and other institutions. The MRC had arrived suspiciously quick after the Emergence of the monsters from Mount Ebott years ago. While governments around the world panicked at the creatures and their knowledge -magic? souls?- that accompanied them, monsters were quarantined on the mountain. There didn’t seem to be a solution in sight until the MRC approached the government with the collars. They were intended to block a monsters magic completely, and leave them ‘vulnerable’ to suggestion. You always wondered why the monsters had not fought back.

Almost 10 years later, the human protests for monsters rights have stopped. There are no more stories on the news of people rebelling against the system, and the monsters can't do anything. It seems like the world has completely given in. If there is resentment, it is quiet and personal. In big cities it is common to see monsters following their ‘owners’ around and listening to their every command, or to see monsters working at many different establishments -typically at the jobs that human's do not want to do. Personally, you have never seen a monster in person. Your town was too small for something of that ‘stature’

. You come back from your thoughts, looking at Debbie. She also seems to be focusing on something. “Oh, hey. I think theres a homeless person behind the diner.” She snaps out of it, looking at you quizzically.

“What?”

“Yea." You continue, picking up a chocolate covered strawberry. “I was out back during lunch, and found a cardboard house.” You take a bite. _Delicious._. “I left out some food for them when I left.”

“Geez, be careful okay?” Debbie mutters. “That's really good of you, but don’t set up a precedent. They’re like stray cats, wont leave you alone if you feed them.”

“Wow, Deb.” You raise an eyebrow at her. “It's only been one time. Also, don’t refer to people as stray animals.” She rolls her eyes.

“Whatever. Next movie.”

————

Debbie was still asleep on the couch when you left at 4 am. Sliding into your car, you send her a quick text before heading out.

 **[ to Debbie]:** I’m glad you came over, I missed you.

The diner is slower than yesterday, which allows you to do some secretarial work in the back office. Your face seems to be in a permanent frown as you go through all his documents regarding the diner. _How does he know where anything is?_. It takes you more time to do the work than necessary.

 **[to Luke]:** You should learn what organization is.

You are able to send Jess on break as the breakfast rush dies down, taking over his tables briefly. He immediately slides into a booth with his girlfriend, putting a hand around her shoulder. A few regulars are in, and you talk to them for a bit. Debbie drops by briefly to return your house keys. One day you need to get her a spare key. When Jess returns, you take your lunch, letting him know to call for you if you’re needed. He waves you off.

Setting your break alarm, you head towards the kitchen.

You ask Caesar if he’s able to prepare you a chicken sandwich. He gives you a big thumbs up and a smile. Heisenberg is out sick today, along -weirdly- with the dishwasher, so Caesar is also pulling double duty. Then, remembering the events from yesterday, you ask if he can double the order. Good ol’ Caesar agrees without a problem. The sandwiches take little time to make it to you, and you pack one up in a take-out container. You drop off your own chicken sandwich in the office before heading out the back way. As you close the door you wonder how to approach this. The person might not be there. You might have frightened them off to a new location. Maybe they are actually here though. Debbie’s warnings echo in your mind. You don’t want to frighten them into action of any sorts. You let out a loud whistle, and let your footsteps be as loud as possible as you slowly walk towards the dumpster. You think you hear a shuffle, and pause. When nothing continues you shrug it off.

“H-hello?” You say loudly. “If you're here, I don’t mean any harm. So please don’t hurt me!” _Yup, I am the dumb girl in a horror movie._ You hold your breath as you look around the back of the dumpster. Theres nobody there. You let out a breath in relief, closing your eyes for a only brief second. You squint your eyes to see if anything else has changed. The take-out containers from yesterday is still there but most of them are open. The two open ones are stacked, empty. You can't stop the grin from growing on your face. _They’ve been back!_ Happy that your efforts are not going to waste, you slide the take-out container of chicken sandwich into the area, and straighten out.Rubbing dirt off your hands, you turn back to the diner with a small skip in your step.

“Thank you.” You freeze. Turning slowly, your eyes search for the source of the sound. There’s no immediate source. Then you spot a shadow, the outline barely visible, beside the dumpster. Your mouth opens, shuts, opens again. You want to say ‘your welcome’ or ‘no problem’ or something like that, you really do. But when something finally comes out it’s nothing like what you want.

“A-are you a….cat?” That thin outline- the pointed ears, the long tail- loved by so many online and offline is unmistakable. But it is tall, and on two legs. There is a few moments of silence where neither of you move. Your phone pings in your pocket.

The outline flinches harshly. It bolts, running in the shadows around the corner quickly. The area falls into silence again. For a few minutes you stand there in shock, before robotically turning and walking back into the diner. You head immediately for the back office and close the door behind you. For a moment you stare at the wall.

“What just happened.” You question yourself. _It’s a cat? How is that even possible? Cat’s cant stand on two legs! Actually, I think I’ve seen videos with cats that can do that. Not the point! Cat’s cant talk!_ You pace around the desk for a few minutes, your tired brain trying to come up with an answer, before it suddenly clicks.

“Oh.” You plop down in the seat with enough force to send it backwards a foot. You don’t care. _A monster then?_ You lean your head back, covering your eyes with your arm. _In this small town?_ Your phone starts to vibrate: 5 minutes left of lunch. You look at your sandwich, knowing you should eat even if not hungry. After a few bites, you remember your new message.

 **[from Luke]:** There’s lots of things that should happen in life. When you have expectations you get disappointment.

You groan, wanting to smash your phone. But you can’t, a new phone would cost too much. Placing it down harshly, you take an angry bite out of your sandwich. Your phone vibrates in your pocket: lunch is up. You sigh and pack up the rest of the sandwich, throwing it in the small ‘employees only’ fridge before heading out.

Jess seems to have everything under control for the lunch rush. You sweep the floor and wash a few tables while monitoring the room. As you sweep you notice a familiar figure in the corner looking at you. Its the man from yesterday who gave you his number. You give a small smile back before continuing your duty. _Why are the freaking MRC so far away from Ebott?_ You hum to yourself for a minute, pondering. Then your eyes widen. _The cat!_ You look back at the man in the corner. He’s talking with another man at his table in hushed voices.

You know the law. Uncollared monsters are always considered ‘armed and dangerous’ by the government. They are hunted and taken down quickly, most resulting in the death of the monster. Civilians who see uncollared monsters are to report to the nearest MRC representative or the MRC collection number. You think of the cat monster in the back. It didn’t seem ‘armed and dangerous’ at all. You remember the quiet and shaky voice calling out to you. _Come to think of it, it didn’t need to call out._ You certainly wouldn’t have noticed it if it hadn't. You wouldn’t have known that it was a monster. _It came out of safety to say thank you to me._ You stare at the MRC representatives for a moment longer. _Well, shit. I don’t really have a choice, do i_

You throw out the garbage picked up by the broom and put it back in the closet. In the office, you grab a pen and paper, scribbling quickly on it. _This will have to do._ You head out the back door quickly. You keep your steps loud as you walk around the dumpster. The cat monster hasn’t been back, and the take-out container is unopened. You slide the piece of paper under it and place a few rocks to ensure it stays in place.

“Good luck.” You whisper into the air before you head back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI FRIENDS
> 
> <(￣︶￣)> Thanks for all the support I've had on my last chapter!! 
> 
> From now on the chapters will come a bit slower. I'll figure out a posting schedule pretty soon. I just wanted to get slightly more into the story before leaving y'all. As said before, I have a general idea of where everything is going BUT I am up to suggestions for smaller relevant things. What cliches are you tired of? 
> 
> PS: The cat monster is NOT a cat-sans thing. Different monster entirely haha.
> 
> -J♡


	3. The Breakfast Crepe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started a Tumblr yesterday for (mostly) this fic. I'll be posting extra's, sneak peaks, answering questions, etc. For anyone not on Tumblr, I'll eventually add the extra's here too but it will take a while. Anyone who's interested look for saltedpeppermintmocha :)

You don’t see the cat-monster the next day, or the day after, or the day after that. You might assume it simply moved on, if it wasn't for the food you left disappearing every night. _Why didn’t it leave though? It saw my warning._ You shrug it off. It's safe-keeping isn't your responsibility. But you can’t deny your curiosity. Its the forth day after, as you're pushing the backdoor open with your side, careful no to drop the container of breakfast crepes in your hand that something changes. 

You almost run into Bluman -Heisenburgs niece, and the new dishwasher-, who is rushing inside. _Weird._ After checking to ensure you are now the only one around, you walk with loud steps towards the dumpsters. You hum as you bend down to place the container in the area. After placing it down you give a customary look at the little house. You freeze. There are eyes staring back at you through the heavy shadow. _Ah, shit shit shit shit shit shit_. Your mind is on an unhelpful loop of profanities, and your body is not moving.

A low growl begins to grow from the monster, shaking you from your thoughts. You startle, stumbling backwards onto your butt. Putting up your hands in a placating matter, you stutter in fright. “I m-mean no harm! Just food. No harm!” The growling decreases in volume, but continues nevertheless. The creatures eyes flitter down towards the take-out container for only a moment before flying up to yours.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you!” You whisper, heart pounding hard in your chest. You slowly push yourself up into a kneeling position, careful not to get closer. _I just need to get back inside_. Is this the same monster as before? Why is it growling? 

“Are you okay?" _Oh my god, do I have a death wish?! Why did I say that?!_ Those eyes narrow and growling slows down, stopping after a minute of silence. Is that a response? You pause for a minute, seriously considering running to the diner. This monster can attack you, and you’d be in lots of trouble. Then you think about the monster you’d met so quickly before. The small ‘thank you’, and the frightened escape that it had made.

“I’m going to grab my phone, okay?” Slowly, you reach into your pocket. The eyes widen quickly. “I just want a light to see you. If that’s not alright let me know.” It remains quiet as you find your phones flashlight with shaky fingers. Even slower, you raise the light into the crevice.

You focus the light on the ground, to not blind the monster. “There you are.” The monster is definitely cat-like in appearance, with light brown fur and green eyes. It is crouched in a protective position, holding one arm to its stomach. You frown. “Is it your arm?” No response. “Please, I just want to help. I don’t know much about monsters, but I’ll do whatever I can.” No response. “Ohhhkay then. I can also leave, if that’s what you want.” Just quiet breathing.

You bite the inside of your cheek. _I cant force it to let me help._ You give a small, defeated smile and start to stand up to leave. You take one step back when a sound reaches your ears. Small and low. You pause, and look down at the opening of the crevice. You have heard that sound before, in Debbie's dog when she goes to leave her house. Its a whine. Slowly you crouch back down. Those eyes are wide and staring back, glassy with what could be pain. You feel a wave of sympathy run over you as you look at it. It glances down at its arm, moving the left one slightly to let you see the other. You immediately wince, its swollen and discoloured. _Is it broken? Fractured? Sprained?_ You have no idea. 

The whining gets louder as you return to your feet. “H-hey it’s okay.” You say. “I’ll be right back, I promise.” You don’t wait to hear the response, running into the diner. You quickly grab the first aid kit, opening it. It's empty. _Goddammnit Luke!_. Feeling panic start to set in you grab a spatula, some clean rags, rope and a pack of ice. You have no idea what monsters need to heal, but hopefully this does something.

You return as quick as you can, making loud noises to alert the monster. “I’m back!" You crouch down again, showing the monster your supplies. “I don’t know if its broken, but I think you’re supposed to tape it to a ruler or something.” You hold out the spatula. “I couldn’t find a ruler but hopefully this does the trick. I also grabbed you some ice to put on it.” The monster stares at you unblinking. “Uh, um, I'm not a doctor I don’t know much about medicine other than basic common knowledge. But, uh, hopefully this helps.” You push the supplies towards it. 

For a moment you both stare at the supplies in silence. _What is it doing?_ You bite your lip. _Do something!_ The silence grows awkward as you mentally urge something to happen. You feel ridiculously out of your element.

“I can’t.” The small voice shocks you enough that you do not register the words for a moment. The monster shuffles slightly in place, fidgeting. 

“Oh.” You raise a hand to your eyes, flush forming on your cheeks. _Obviously it can’t do much of this stuff with one arm. I’m so stupid._ “Oh god, I’m so sorry. Do you want…any….help?” Your question, while sincere, seemed less and less plausible the more you spoke. 

Those green eyes stare back at you in silence. Just as you’re about to back away, they close. The monster lets out a deep breath. “Yea, alright.” The voice is shockingly low. Your own eyes widen in shock. The monster begins to shuffle towards you slowly, and you back up quickly to accommodate it.

The being that uncurls itself from the dumpster is taller than you thought, at least a foot taller than you. It’s -he’s?- thin to where you can easily see the bones of his body through his matted fur. You don’t know anything about monster anatomy, but you’d still bet your savings that it was from starvation rather than natural. He attempts to crouch beside you, but tilts more into the wall behind him. His eyes are slightly lidded, but they don’t leave you for a moment. It is clear that he is on guard. You swallow, the reality of the situation beginning to sink in. This was a monster. He had magic. He could kill you very quickly with that magic. _Although, maybe he’s not strong enough to use magic._ You look critically over his beaten form for a moment. You begin to take out the necessary equipment for the splint: the spatula, clean rags and thick rope. _Oh god I can’t believe I’m doing this._

Taking a small breath in, you smile at him. “I’m going to be as gentle as possible, but I don’t have experience with this. It’ll probably hurt a bit. I’m sorry.” He nods slowly, but doesn’t move otherwise. You stare at each other for a moment. _Uhh_. “Uhh, I’m going to need your arm.” You prompt. He freezes up for a moment, looking around the area, before his injured arm begins to slowly move from its position. A whine crawls up from inside the monsters body as the injured limb is forced to move. 

When it is close enough to touch, you reach out slowly. The monster still flinches, which causes the whine to become higher-pitched and louder for a moment. You shush him lightly, aware that if anybody were to come by you both would be in trouble. As your arm lightly grabs his, you inform him of what is about to happen. “I’m going to make a splint, it’s meant to hold the bone in place and help overall. I don’t have…the best equipment but hopefully it’ll help just as well.” Or at least even slightly.

You wrap the clean rags around his arm lightly, allowing for _some_ padding. Then you hold up the spatula to the outside of his arm. “Can you hold these here please?” He does, and you make quick work of wrapping the rope around it. “Is this too tight?” He shakes his head silently, eyes on his arm. You tie the ends together and let go. He stares at it for a moment, before slowly moving it back towards his own body.

“Alright, that should help a little bit.” You reach for the ice packet. “I also have this, it willl help with the swelling and hopefully numb the area a bit.” He accepts it easily, eyes trained on you. “I’m so sorry that there isn’t more I can do. Its just…your situation.” You look away. He says nothing and you push yourself to your feet. With one last look you head back towards the door. 

“Thanks, little buddy.” He’s gone when you turn around, back into the enclave behind the dumpster. You feel something begin to crawl up your back. 

—————— 

You would like to say that you had a productive shift, that you were able to catch up on all the secretarial work Luke had been behind on. But no. You spent the last 5 hours of your shift alternating between being a waitress and sitting in the back office with your head in your hands. Heisenberg had actually come in to ask if you were okay at one point. You just waved him off, but he didn’t look happy. 

Now, you sit staring at the ceiling of the office. Your right foot lazily pushing you in a small circle. You are not even having productive thoughts. It is as if your mind is in a fog. You keep repeating what had happened in your head over and over, overanalyzing everything you did. _What’s wrong with me?_ You sigh. _I can’t keep doing this._ You push yourself up and slide on your coat. Maybe if you got home this would stop, your head would stop going thinking the same ridiculous ideas over and over again.

Saying a quick goodbye to Lane on your way out, you slide into the drivers seat of the car and grab the car keys. You pause. _No. I can’t help him._ You bring the keys up to the ignition. _I can’t. There’s nothing I can do._ The keys slide into the ignition. _I can’t. I can’t._ Your hands fall from the keys. You let out a loud, frustrated scream and slam your head down on the steering wheel. 

“Damnit.” You mumble to yourself, eyes closed. _Screw everything that made me this way._ The car door actually doesn't stick for once, and you slide out easily. Opening the back door, you grab the spare blanket you always keep in case your car broke down somewhere. You burry your face in it briefly, taking a deep and shaky breath. Then you head around the Diner. Nobody is around to notice you head towards the back. Your footsteps get purposefully louder as you enter the back area, scanning with your eyes. Nobody is back here either, perfect. “Hey, its me.” You call out quietly as you get closer to the dumpster.

“Huh?!” A definitely different voice calls out. You screech, jumping backwards. Around the other side of the dumpster comes the new dishwasher. She’s holding a bag of garbage and staring at you weirdly. “Whoa Boss, didn’t mean to scare you. What’re you doing back here?”

“I’m not your boss.” You mumble. “Just thought I left something back here, sorry. Didn’t notice you were here.” Bluman looks at you for a moment and shrugs, throwing the garbage bag back into the dumpster. 

“Need help?” 

“Nah.” You wave a hand in the air. “I bet Heisenberg needs you back in there.” Bluman rolls her eyes at the mention of her uncle. However, she shrugs and leaves quickly after that, waving a small goodbye as he did. You wait until the door closes behind him before bending over to hold your knees. _Holy shit._ You stare at the concrete floor for a minute, mentally recovering from that scare. 

“It’s you.” You look over towards the enclave entrance. A furred head pokes out lightly. You give a big smile and head over, glad to see that despite flinching, he doesn’t immediately back away. 

“Yup, its me!” Theres a small silence between you two. “Uh, listen…” _Oh I should have rehearsed this. This is so awkward._ “I want to help you out more, just to get you on your feet at least. Or maybe ‘till your arm is a bit better. Anything really. I just, uh, want to help.” _Oh, rambling again. Stop it._ You fiddle with your fingers in front of you. “A-anyways, I was wondering if you want to, you know…oh god this seems so awkward now. Do you want to come with me?” You hold out a hand towards him. He frowns slightly, staring at it. This moment lasts far too long before you lower your hand. 

“Or not, you know, thats cool too-“ 

“Go where?” 

You perk up slightly. “To my place!” Immediately he flinches away from you, a small growl starting within. Your eyes widen, uncomfortable flush rising again. “No no no nothing like that. Just for a place to sleep. I have a couch, its pretty comfortable if you ask me.” 

After a long moment of silence. “Why?” 

“Um well it might be nice to get away from the dumpster for a while-NOT that I’m saying your place is bad, I just, uh, yea. And your arm is injured so-“

“Slow down.“ He holds up his healthy paw. “I mean, why are you helping me.”

“Oh.” You pause, taking a moment. “Listen I’m not-I’m not a perfect person. I probably ignore a lot of injustice in the world. But you’ve been really nice to me. I don’t want to just leave you here, when I have a warm couch and food to spare.” 

“And thats it?” You narrow your eyes in confusion, nodding. His eyes bore into yours, and you wonder about that soul thing you’d heard about. _Is he looking at mine? Can he read my mind?_ He stands up suddenly, breaking you from those thoughts. You look up at him in shock. _Yup, about a foot taller than me._

“Okay, little buddy. I’ll go with you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY LOVES (◍•ᴗ•◍)
> 
> You guys are amazing! Seriously, thank you so much! I've never written so much as fast as I have in the last 24 hours, and it's because of you guys. All of your support seriously motivates me <3
> 
> Now that we are 'starting' to get into everything, there will be a guaranteed chapter every Wednesday. However depending on how excited I get, I may most an extra chapter throughout the week so keep an eye out for it!
> 
> PS: I mentioned it in the tags but necessary characters won't be appearing until around chapters 7-9, just a heads up! I want this to be a LONG story so I need to set up a lot of different things. 
> 
> \--Chapter #1 has been added to my 'EBS Extras' work on Ao3! Check it out for BP's POV. 
> 
> -J♡


	4. The Quiche

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ) I wasn't going to update today, honestly. This was going to come on Sunday but I have no self-control. There won't be another update until at least Sunday night though.

You slowly pull into your parking spot and pause. The monster laying in the back doesn’t make a sound, probably unaware that you’re at the destination. Your hands clutch and unclench at the steering wheel. _Again, what am I doing?!_

“We’re here.” Your voice is quieter than usual. The monster remains silent, but you hear shuffling behind you. “Feel free to have a look but when we leave, keep the blanket over your head.” It would look suspicious for sure, but you didn’t have any other options. The monster makes a small noise of affirmation behind you, and you turn off the engine. With the rumbling off, you can feel the heavy pounding of your heart even more.

You take a deep breath and open the door. _Okay, here we go._ You open the back door absently, scanning the area around you for movement. The monster waits for you to open the door before sliding out and following you at a rushed pace into your apartment. You unlock the lobby door quickly, for once very aware of the ‘this area is monitored by cameras’ signs, and usher the monster inside. You feel slight relief as you make it into the apartment without crossing anyone outside. For once luck was on your side as you don’t see anyone the entire way to your apartment. You open the door, fumbling with your keys in panic, and slide ins. The monster follows quickly and you slam the door, leaning back on it and locking it. You stare at the ceiling for a moment, breathing heavily and head swimming in relief before you look at your companion. You blink slowly.

You burst into almost hysterical giggles immediately. The tall monster has the cream coloured blanket flopped unceremoniously over his head, eyes peeking through a small hole in the old knitted fabric. You can see his shoes at the bottom.

“What?” Your giggles become full on laughter, and you bend over clutching your stomach. 

“You look like a really bad ghost costume!” He tilts his head to the side in confusion, before shrugging lightly and turning to look around your apartment. As you fight to stop laughing, he reaches up and pulls at the fabric causing it to fall to the ground. You realize he’s focused on the mirror you have in the entranceway.

“I guess I did kind of look like him.” He reaches a paw towards his face.

“What?” You are finally able to suppress your laughter, using your fingers to wipe away the tears. “Are you saying you know someone that looks like a ghost?” Curiosity blossoms in your mind. “ _Are_ they a ghost? Are ghosts real?” You'd honestly believe anything at this point. His face goes slack instantly, eyes wide. 

“Uh, never mind that.” He takes a step into your apartment. “You got a nice place, little buddy.” _He definitely doesn’t want to continue that conversation_. You make a small sound of agreement and step up beside him. He flinches away slightly.

“It’s not the best place by a long shot.” You mutter, before wincing as you realize how insensitive that must have seemed to a guy living out of a cardboard box behind a dumpster. “But it’s mine. Thats all I care about.” You turn to him suddenly. “So um-“ Pause. _Wait a minute…_ “Whats your name?” 

The monster takes a minute to answer, sharp and observant eyes still taking in the apartment before landing on you. “Call me BP.”

“BP?” You question. You raise a hand to your chin. “That’s…that’s not your real name is it?” He doesn’t respond, but looks away pointedly. You sigh inwardly. “It’s okay. I’ll call you whatever you want. Uh, within reason.” The monster doesn’t seem to catch your slight accidental innuendo. _Thank god_. “Anyways, so BP, make yourself at home okay? The washroom is the door on the right down the hallway and my room is the one on the left. I’ll bring out an extra pillow and blanket for you for the couch and, uh…” Your voice fades away as you look at him. He isn't paying complete attention to you but just looking around. His uninjured paw is clenching against his side, ears twitching.

The small smile growing on his face fills you with determination. 

—————--

“Whoa, you’re good at this.” You watch with entranced eyes as BP cracks two eggs open perfectly with one paw. He seem to stand a little straighter at your praise, and replies that he’s had a lot of practice. He starts to whisk the ingredients together with gusto. Too much gusto. With only one hand the bowl is unstable and mixture begins to fly everywhere. You jump forward quickly to grab it, holding it still. He doesn't pause. Now that you’re closer, you can smell your body soap on him. Surprisingly for a cat, he’d quickly asked to use the shower. _Wait was that…speciesist?_ You frown. You'd given him a pair of your sweatpants and a sweater for when he came out. He was almost too skinny for them. After a few minutes, the one-handed whisking is done. He places the whisk in the sink and licks some of the mixture off his paw. You begin to pour the mixture into the pre-heated pie shell before shoving the pan in the oven. 

“And done!” You say triumphantly, clapping your hands together. “In around 50 minute’s we’ll have the best damn quiche around.” His eyes are wide, ears straight up. He looks happy, if not still unsure. You both look at each other, the silence growing awkward.

“Now what?" His tail swishes against the ground. He suddenly looks very uncomfortable under your scruiteny. You raise a hand to your chin, thinking.

“I don’t know, what do you want to do?” You feel your own grin grow slightly hysterical. Okay, perhaps you were pushing your nerves and fear aside by pretending this was a normal, very human sleepover with a very human guest. Perhaps. But you had to take comfort from somewhere. You felt like you were hanging onto a thread of sanity, unknowing what would happen if you let go. BP looks around the apartment before his eyes fall on the TV. He says nothing. Your smile grows even more. “Toons it is! I don’t have cable though, so I’ll look through Notflix to see what I can find.”

You sit only our couch and pull up your laptop, opening Netflix. When you don’t hear movement from the monster you pat the couch beside you. “I don’t bite.” He mumbles something to himself and situates on the opposite end. “Okay so, I’m just gonna yell out names and if anything sounds interesting let me know.” No response, you’ll take that as a yes. “Okay. Breaking Good, The Running Dead, Gilmour Gals, Lakedale , Mettaton the Musical, Strangest Things-“

“Wait what!” You look right to your companion. BP is sitting straight up, staring at you with shocked eyes. “M-mettaton?”

“Yea! That robot superstar?" You tilt your head to the side. “You like him?” BP curls up into the cream blanket.

“I guess.” Thats a better response than you'd hoped for. You set up your laptop (Debbie had left her HDMI, bless her soul) to the television and hit play. The opening screen is the robot laying back, rose petals flowing down onto his body. BP snorts, covering his mouth with his hand. But his attention is all for the robot. You smile, and curl into the couch yourself. 

Its close on ten minutes into the movie that your eyes start to shift towards BP. It’s not surprising, really. You’ve _seen_ Mettaton before. His rise to stardom was quick and lasting. He’s on a few products that even make it to this town. A tragic backstory mixed with his energetic appeal makes him a recipe for Hollywood success. 

BP, however, is a _monster_. An intelligent being that _isn’t_ human, but made of magic. It amazes you, and satisfies many of your childhood dreams. Honestly, your child self would be unable to look away. You’ve had remarkable restraint already. But here, in the dark where nobody can see, you let yourself look. 

“A girl staring at me, I wonder if the kit actually worked…” He suddenly mutters, looking at you out of the corner of his eyes. _Oh, cats can see in the dark._ “Just how rectangular do I look to you?” You pause, baffled. Your mouth opens slightly. His eyes stay focused on you. 

He snorts, uninjured paw going to his mouth. The snort becomes a short-lasting chuckle. 

You don’t understand what happened, but are happy anyways. 

—————— 

You spit out the last of your toothpaste and head across the hall towards your bedroom. Pausing mid-step, you turn a curious eye towards the living room. It’s dark, quiet and the back of the couch is facing you. You see nothing. If you didn’t know better, you’d think you were alone. Shaking your head softly, you continue into your room. Making your way towards your bed by memory you slide under the covers. You flip your pillow before burying your face in it. _What a day._ You felt apprehensive for the future. Maybe if BP wasn't so vague and mysterious all the time. You think about the events of the night. 

**_2 Hours Earlier..._ **

****

****

_“So, I hate to ask but why did you stay near the diner if the MRC were about?” The question has been nagging at you for days now. Surely any uncollared monster would know to stay far away from those humans._

_He shrugs. “Not my problem.”_

_“What?” You look over at him quickly. He’s staring at the screen, eyes half open. “Not your problem? They’re after you!”_

_“Nah.” He yawns into a paw. “Not me. They'd have caught me already if I was who they were looking for.” You frown._ What does that mean? _He doesn’t elaborate but you find it difficult to push him. Looking back at the screen you notice its, surprise, another Mettaton movie. You'd given BP control over your Notflix (t's only fair since it's his first night) but you hadn't expect him to only pick the robot's movies. He seems almost entranced by him. Weird. Then again, it was hard not to come across the robot nowadays. You push it to the back of your mind and try to catch up with the plot._

You pull yourself from the memory. BP hadn't seem too concerned about the MRC, but you are. For him but also -selfishly- for you. If caught, you face at least jail-time. That sends a shiver down your spine. _I need to stop this train of thought or I’ll never get to sleep._ You look to your phone for distraction: 5 new messages. Whoops.

 **[from Debbie]:** so this new girl is not cute.  


**[from Debbie]** apparently she's a MRC recruiting scout.  


**[from Debbie]:** hello?  


**[from Debbie]:** ???? 

You're immediately more awake. Quickly, you type out a response.

 **[to Debbie]:** Sorry, busy day at work. Is that why the MRC was in town? 

You switch to the new message from Luke while waiting.

 **[from Luke]:** I might be a bit longer here. People are being…unreasonable  >(  


**[to Like]:** At least you’re warning me, lol. Good luck! 

Debbie’s conversation pings. 

**[from Debbie]:** idk, doubt it. she’s been here a few weeks already. she’s tried to recruit half of the engineering staff. got a few bites already

. You frown.

 **[to Debbie]:** Including you?  


**[from Debbie]** she started on me today.

You lay down your phone with a sigh, staring at the ceiling. Your life has surely gotten a lot more complicated recently. You think of the monster -hopefully- sleeping on your couch. Part of you wants to tell Debbie. You’ve never hidden anything from her before. She’d probably have an idea or two, her scientific mind able to come up with many ideas yours can’t. But something is holding you back. _Now with her being close to the MRC, its’ probably a bad idea anyways._ You try to rationalize the gut feeling you have. Your eyes suddenly snap open and you reach for your phone. _Wait a minute!_

 **[to Debbie]:** Can you get close to her? Find out what they’re doing here?  


**[from Debbie]:** what? why? 

Well, time to bullshit like a Queen. 

**[to Debbie]:** I want to know! They’re in the diner all the time, talking all ‘hushed’. Its so mysterious, like: what are they up to?

_Please believe me. Don't ask any questions._

 **[from Debbie]:** girl you’re weird. this is unhealthy. no.  


**[to Debbie]:** Please? As a favour for me? Your best friend?  


**[from Debbie]:** …  


**[from Debbie]:** no  


Your heart sinks. 

**[from Debbie]:** not as a favour. as an exchange  


**[to Debbie]:** What? What do you want?  


**[from Debbie]:** you'll have to wait and see ;)  


**[to Debbie]:** So you’ll do it?  


**[from Debbie]:** ya i'll be your spy

You fist pump the air in victory. She doesn’t seem to suspect anything at least. You let the conversation continue for a minute before saying goodnight and closing your phone. _Could have gone worse._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY FAVOURITES ୧☉□☉୨
> 
> Thank you AGAIN for the absolute support I've received for this fic! When I say you keep me motivated, I mean it. I managed to write this chapter, along with two others in record time. When I read your comments, I get ridiculously excited to write this story and share it with you. I know I *should* be waiting and drawing it out, but oh my GOD its hard. The plot is *sliiightly* beginning now (and the angst is soon to follow, don't worry)! So I'll be spending a bit longer writing each chapter to make sure it all goes smoothly. 
> 
> Sorry for all the different conversations going on. Each one is important in their own way. There is a lot going on in the background that is unknown to Reads, and thus, you guys. I rarely will introduce characters that are irrelevant to the plot, so the more I mention someone, the more their importance will be. 
> 
> \--- EBS Extra #2 has been posted on Ao3! It introduces a background storyline important to the plot!
> 
> -J♡


	5. The Scrambled Eggs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I didn't post last night (like I said I would). My staff meeting went until midnight and I passed out when I got home lol. I've posted a bonus chapter today as an apology!

**[from Luke]:** Why am I the one here? I'm the boss, I should not have been here since ass-crack of dawn.

You roll your eyes at the message. The boss was down at the local meat suppliers, negotiating prices. Usually Heisenberg and Caesar did it, but the former had refused-something about having lost something and needing to look for it- and the latter had called in sick.

 **[to Luke]:** You JUST got back from vacation. No complaining.

 **[from Luke]:** That was 2 weeks ago. And you don’t understand. Those people are crazy! They took me to FIVE musicals while I was there. FIVE. 

**[to Luke]:** Next time send me to this 'business meeting'. That sounds awesome!

You discretely slide your phone back into your pocket turn your attention back to mundane work life. Right now you’re behind the ‘bar’ chatting to a group of old ladies on their ‘weekly outing’. Super cute, if not really chatty. As they’re giggling amongst themselves you take a sneaky glance at the right corner table. The MRC guys are still there, still talking hushed amongst themselves. If BP was right and they are not looking for him, what are they doing here? You ‘hmm’ quietly, and wipe at the counter with your rag.

A crashing sound comes from the kitchen. “Opa.” You mutter. Heisenberg has been a bit off his game recently. His food still tastes good, but he’s been dropping things every day. For a man as careful as him, it’s got you a bit worried. Bluman also seems on edge-although she hasn’t broken anything- and you have heard quiet arguments between the two as you walk by the kitchen. Lane returns from her break, leaving you to go on yours. You slide your half-apron off and head back into the office. You had packed food today, a simple salad. When Luke was gone, your kitchen had been looking pretty sad. A side effect of never really being home and eating at the diner. The day after BP had moved in, you went out and grabbed some groceries for the both of you. You’d also grabbed some clothes on your way back. Luckily they fit him well enough, if not a little baggy. _Food, water, check._

Taking a few bites of your salad, you think of the monster. Now that the ‘splint’ is off,you think he's getting bored in your apartment. In the few weeks that BP had been living with you, he's exhausted most of the most popular Netflix options. You asked him last night about it, and he just replied that he’s ‘restless’. He's used to doing ‘something’. _Would he get use out a laser pointer?_ Your mind shamefully goes to all the times you've seen monsters on tv working, before shaking the thoughts away. He's your little friend, you refuse to think of him as something like that. Your phone rings. You grab it from your pocket and look at the caller id: Debbie. Weird. She likes to text. You pick it up and mumble a greeting. 

“I’m coming over tonight.” _What?!_

“What?!" Your heart starts pounding quickly. “Uh, no sorry I can’t.”

“Listen girl.” Her high-pitched voice is insistent. “I’m coming over.” The serious tone of her voice gives you pause.

“Why?”

“I have something, from the MRC recruiter.”

“You stole something?!” You whisper admonished. “Debbie that is not subtle.”

“No no no, she told me to take it home. Technically it’s ‘for educational use'. I need to bring it back on Monday though.”

“What is it?"

“Nah girl. You gotta be in person for it.” You let out a long breath. “7pm, your place.”

“Okay, it can't be for long though, I’m opening tomorrow so I want to head to bed early.” Lies. She agrees easily and you hang up. You slam your head on the desk. _Ouch…Take a deep breath, one, two, okay._ Sitting up, you start calling the closer. 7pm is pushing it, you need to leave early. 

Lane isn’t able to come in early, so at 6pm you basically bolt out the door and into your car. 

———— 

You unlock the door and burst into the apartment, eyes finding the monster sitting on the couch eating some scrambled eggs. He startles harshly, laptop and plate crashing to the floor. You move until you're standing infant of him. He’s wearing some of the new clothes you got him: simple jeans and a red hoodie.

“Huh? What’s up little buddy?” His head tilts to the side slightly.

“I need you out.” You say. He stiffens, looking at you with slowly widening eyes. His ears start to flatten, tail swishing. You frown, he looks much too upset for this. Replaying the words in your head you face palm. “ Wait, no, that's not what I meant.” You groan lightly into your palms. “I have someone coming over last minute for something important, but she can’t see you here.”His ears start to rise again. 

“Okay, where’s a good place to hide around here?” You freeze. Right. This isn't as easy as him just walking outside. _Think…_ “Shit, I don’t know. We’re running out of time though.” You plop down on the sofa.

“Okay, if you can’t go outside. Can you just hide in my room?” Looking at him for approval, he shrugs. _Alright then._ He grabs the laptop and follows behind you. He takes a quick look around before walking over to your desk and putting the laptop down. He stares at the textbooks. You apologize about the mess and seriously consider tidying up, but he shakes his head. The front door creaks open. "One minute!" You tell out, essentially running out of the room. The door slams shut behind you. Taking a quick moment to compose yourself, you slowly walk towards the front of the apartment. 

Debbie is already sitting on the couch, holding a backpack to her stomach. You walk over to her and sit down expectantly. For a moment she says nothing. Then, “What happened here?” She motions to the eggs scattered on the ground. Oh, you forgot about those. You shrug, and open your mouth to give a half-assed joke of an answer. You don't. She doesn't seem like she is paying attention. Her eyes are at the corner of your room. You sit in silence. 

The longer the silence grows, the more your nerves do. “So… what's this about?” You prompt. She quickly looks at you. That look in her eyes...She does _not_ look happy with something. She sighs loudly, and slowly unzips the backpack. Reaching in she pulls out a round… _Oh._ You stare. _Oh shit._

Thats a collar. You can feel your species sins crawling up your back just staring at it. 

"I dont'-"

“It’s not real.” She whispers, throwing the device onto the coffee table. It hits with a weirdly hollow sound. "Just for 'educational purposes. Looks damn real though, she had one of those too. She showed us the insides. This one's empty other than the wiring for the lights and release button. They passed it around and everyone tried it on. It was a good laugh for them.” You say nothing, staring at the collar. She's touching her own throat in your peripheral. You don’t know what to even feel right now. “Like its a toy.”

“Seeing it in person…it's so real.” She continues, voice wavering. The hand not at her throat clenching and unclenching. “Like I know how it is out there, I'm not stupid. But that stuff never really reached us over here, right? We didn't have monsters, we didn't have resistance. We were all in our little bubble of naivety.” Her voice starts to shake. "Do you remember watching it? All of it? The protests that became riots, the anger, the fear. We watched it like it was a movie. It wasn't 'real' to us, they weren't real to us. It's sick." 

Her voice had risen slightly in her rant, and she paused. A few deep breaths. Her voice returns to a whisper. "It also...it makes me think, years ago my people were the ‘slaves’. If this technology was this advanced then, would we be in these?” Theres nothing you can say. “This so wrong, oh my god this is so wrong. I don’t-“ You open your arms and she fall into your hug, tears springing forth. You both sit there for a long time, even after Debbie’s tears start to dry up.

She slowly pulls out of your arms. "I'm sorry." She laughs humourlessly, rubbing at her eyes. "I promised I would be quick. You need to sleep. Bossman might be back but he's still working you to the bone girl." Guilt hits you hard, but you say nothing. "I didn't know what to do when she gave it to me. I couldn't bring that _thing_ into my house. I still don't know if I can." She sighs, and her deep brown eyes stare into yours. "Can-can you keep it?" You blink a few times. 

"What?" That thing gives you a really bad gut feeling, you don't know why. 

Has she always been holding your hand? "I can't have that near me. It's just for the weekend, alright?" 

"Alright." 

Debbie gives a shaky smile and a small hug before standing up. "Thanks girl, sorry for the waterworks." You wave her off, and follow her to the front door. She still has her outerwear on, but waits as you fumble on your coat and boots.The lights in the hallway seem a little brighter as you walk her back to the parking lot. She slides into her 10 year old BMW with a wave and pulls out.

You watch her car until you can no longer see it and turn to walk back into the building. The shock fogging your mind has slowly begun to fade. _Holy shit._ You can’t believe there is anything even close to a real collar sitting in your apartment. With…BP. _SHIT_. You race up the stairs and to your apartment, stopping as suddenly as you can when inside. The door slowly closes behind you. You can’t move. BP is behind the couch, staring at the collar on the coffee table. His ears are completely down, tail puffed up behind him. His head snaps to you, face pulled into a mixture of emotions you can't begin to decipher. 

“It's not what-“

“Not what it looks like?!” He finishes your sentence harshly. “I don't know what the fuck else it could be!”

“It’s not even real!” You try to explain, waving your arms. He scoffs. “Please listen-“

“Oh, fuck no.” He hisses. “Was this your plan all along?” Oh, that anger was terrifying. You feel yourself flinch away and heat begins to burn behind your eyes. “Get me to trust you then betray me? You’re sick, disgusting, worse than the fucking MRC!” His voice gets louder the more he speaks. Your breath comes out fast and harsh, your legs start to shake. A green glow begins to emit from his paws. It takes you a moment to understand: magic. That glow combined with his face pulled up in absolute disgust and anger is too much. You try to prepare for something, but you don't know what to prepare for. He lurches towards you, and you scream. Your hands fly up in protection as you trip backwards, falling onto your butt behind you. He flies by you, a flash of red and brown. 

“FUCK YOU!" The door slams behind him. Silence falls. You look at the place BP had been. When did your hands come up to your face? You hiccup, and thats all it takes for the tears to start. 

—————

If you could call in sick the next morning, you would have. You feel hungover as you peel yourself out of bed and into the shower. It's much too hot. You don't change the temperature and stay longer under the spray longer. The morning routine is done, barely. Last night you cried yourself to sleep in confusion and regret, but now you feel mostly numb. You walk through the apartment, buttoning up a blouse. It's quiet and dark. You refuse to look at the couch. 

The collar itself is gone. You'd thrown the collar immediately into the dumpster outside- sorry Deb- after BP left. You had a feeling that the mere presence of the fake-decvice would keep you awake all night. After throwing it out, your eyes had searched everywhere for where your friend (?) could have gone. It was useless. This residential area had minimal hiding spots, unless you include the neighbour's hedges. The worry that had blossomed in your chest stayed firmly over to the next morning. You slide into your car, and drive to work in silence. A small part of you is angry at him: angry that he didn't listen, angry that he doubted you wrongly. The larger portion feels nothing but guilt: for agreeing to keep the damn thing, for letting him see it, and for something even deeper. 

As much as you can, you stay in the back office. The staff are noticeably concerned. Luke messages you multiple times despite it being his day off. Lane checks in on you every hour. Even Heisenberg and Bluman stop their (alarmingly increasing in tension) fights to try and talk to you. You wave everybody off, but admit that you're probably not in the right emotional state to get lots of work done. You flip through the company phonebook for a minute, before finding who you're working for. Lane's boyfriend has worked a few crisis shifts for her in the past (you have no idea what happens to payroll when he does, but not your problem). He quickly agrees to work the next few day for you, probably because Lane is also working. You text Luke.

 **[from Luke]:** It’s all good, feel better :) 

_Wow, an emoji? He must be really worried._ You send him a quick 'thanks' back and attempt to get some work done. In the end you've missed an entire section of important calls, but can't bring enough emotion to care. You're entire worldview is being shaken. A few phone calls can wait. The ride home is as silent as the morning one. You immediately shed your clothing -leaving it on the floor-, go to your bed and hide under the covers. For now, you don't want to think. 

You spend the next day in bed falling in and out of naps. In your awake periods, you think. By the time you feel yourself dozing off for the night, there's some major things you've noticed. You treated BP as a pet. You cared for him -fed him, put a roof over his head, offered entertainment- but you never considered him a actual 'person'. You remember multiple times over the past month where he'd express a want to go somewhere, and you turned him down out of 'concern'. He couldn't leave without you, not without risking getting caught in an unknown area. You doubted he even knew how to get back to the Diner. Other similar memories of 'overriding' his decisions were recalled after. _But those weren't my decision to make._ BP, as an intelligent being, could make those decisions for himself. You fall asleep with the feeling of disgust. 

The next day, you eventually force yourself out of bed to make a frozen pizza. You still refuse look at the couch as you walk by. Bringing your pizza, you crawl back underneath the covers. This time though, you sit up and grab your laptop. Along with the revolution that BP was ('surprise') an intelligent being, hit home the true severity of the situation you have been in and the situation that all monsters are in. You begin to do your research, looking at article after article on the Emergence and events that occurred after. It's all pretty much the same, none of the immediate sources cover the topic in any sort of detail, but it feels a little better to know the basics. 

You write what you can in an empty Word document. **The monsters emerged from Mt. Ebott on September 15th, 201X led by their monarchs and a child. The child, unnamed, claimed to be the Ambassador of Monsters and was quickly taken for psychiatric testing. The monsters were quarantined on Mt. Ebott while important leaders converged and discussed. This situation remained stagnant for almost a year. During this year, it was discovered that the King was responsible for the deaths of 6 children who had fallen into the mountain. He was detained and sentenced for his crimes. The Queen succumbed to injuries she obtained leaving the mountain short after. The monsters, without a leader, descended into anarchy. They fought with each other, and many died. Then the MRC came forward with their collars. They were intended to 'help' the monsters according to the articles. The monsters were given the collars in order to control their magic to live peacefully.**

You have so many questions to ask him. If only he’d listened to you. _But why would he? My people ENSLAVED his. I’m surprised he trusted me at all._ And he had. You realize the gravity of that now. A month ago, he got in your car likely knowing you could take him anywhere. Everyday you could have returned with MRC representatives and he'd be unable to fight back. You fiddle with the edge of the duvet. Your phone pings a few times and you check it quickly. The only person you reply to is Debbie -just to tell her that you're okay-afraid that she'd burst down your door if you didn't.

Its much later that you spot something on the other side of the couch. You’re returning from the bathroom and its an internal struggle of whether to look further or leave it. In the end you go look. Oh, ew. Its the scrambled eggs from days ago. You're almost embarrassed that the sight of the eggs bring a ping of loss in your heart for BP. Grumbling to yourself, you grab some paper towel and soap to begin to clean it up. You throw the dirty paper towel out, realizing that the garbage is full. You sigh, and start to tie it at the top. You slide on your shoes and a light jacket, wishing it had a hood. You don't want to see any one right now. 

"Hello neighbour!" Of course the old man would be there. You give a small smile as a response and continue quickly down the hallway to get away. When you reach the stairs you slow down, basically dragging your feet to the dumpster. With one push you get the bag in. You turn to leave. 

“You look awful.” 

Your eyes open and turn wildly, hair blurring your vision for a moment. But no, it's him. He’s there. In the same red hoodie- hood up, covering his face in shadow and ears in fabric- and dark jeans he had on when he left. They’re dirtier, _he's_ dirtier and holding a ripped plastic bag. “Not so great yourself.” How even managed words is beyond you. You fidget with the edge of your jacket, questions upon questions that are now probably inappropriate -considering the lack of trust- popping up in your mind. He sighs, placing the empty hand in his pocket, and shrugs.

“Where were you?” Immediately you regret asking, _as if_ he'd want to tell you anything. He shrugs, looking pointedly at the dumpster. “Oh.” The silence between you is more awkward then ever. “Do you want…I can bring you some food?” You look away. _Have we really come full circle this past month?_ Its a sobering thought. 

“A warm place to sleep would be nice.” Your head snaps up to him in shock. Is he? But why? 

“It wasn’t real, I swear.” You plead, looking at his face. He looks down for a moment and takes a deep breath before returning those green eyes to you.

“I know.” Before you can voice your questions, he reaches into his plastic bag and pulls out the collar. Its open, no longer in it's ‘o’ shape. _Oh. He must have grabbed it from the dumpster when I threw it out._. The sound of a car pulling into the parking lot breaks the silence.

“So...inside then?” You propose. He nods, pushing the collar back into the bag and you lead the way back inside. Luckily, the old neighbour is gone. Neither of you speak. You close the apartment door behind you and stare at it. You're nervous to turn around, but force yourself. 

“Can we…can we talk?” He asks. You nod. Moving over to the couch, you sit down. Your hand moves to pat the couch beside you, but you freeze in the familiar motion, unsure if it would be well received. He plops down on the other end of the couch anyways. Your heart grows warmer.

“I know I overreacted.” He holds up a paw when you try to interject. "Finding that thing, it felt like… I was wrong to be so comfortable the entire time. It made me angry, and that happened. Anyways, anger fizzled out pretty quickly after seeing you like this.” He pauses, looking away for a moment. “Why do you look like you’re about to fall down any moment anyways?” Fall down?

“Yea, I didn’t _do_ much the past few days.” You begin, fiddling with the edge of your shirt.” I felt horrible, not only for the fight but for...everything else.” He looks a bit lost. “I didn’t really take you seriously, did I? I acted like this whole situation with the MRC was a game. I'm so sorry." Your words are slow, you're contemplating them before you speak." It was only seeing the collar that anything started to click with me. My friend, she's being approached by an MRC recruiter. She doesn't wan't anything do do with them, or the collar, and asked me to hold onto it so she didn't have to look at it. I didn’t think about the severity of saying yes, or of your situation.” 

He lets out a small laugh. "Damn, little buddy, thats deep.” You smile lightly up at him at the nickname. He reaches into the plastic bag and pulls out…a pack of cigarettes and a lighter? _He smokes?_ At your confused look he smirks. “You humans throw out too much.” He lights the cigarette, taking a deep swig and sighs happily. _I guess real talk is over now._

“Theres a new episode of Strangest Things out if you want to watch?” You offer.

He smiles.“I'm going to finish this cigarette, take a shower, change clothes and then sure little buddy.” He takes another hit and sighs.

You get up and jump into the shower first. It was a quick one, you don’t want to make him wait. Getting out, you wrap yourself in a towel and open the door. He pats you on the shoulder as you walk back to your bedroom. An overwhelming feeling of relief hits you. You want to protect this, protect _him_. You're filled with determination. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY BEAUTIES ɾ⚈▿⚈ɹ
> 
> I didn't know whether I wanted this to be one REALLY long chapter or two regular-sized ones. In the end, I decided to split it up. BUT I'll be posting the next part hopefully tomorrow to make up for it. Then I also have my guaranteed Wednesday post. So a lot of updates will happen to get you to the skeles! In terms of story length, it'll still be a while. But in real time, by the end of this week I guarantee you the other main character will join us!
> 
> Just so you guys know there are many reasons why everything is going this slow, and I promise it'll make sense when things start to unfold! I've cut out sooo many scenes just to speed along the plot for y'all :)
> 
> -Extra #2 posted on Ao3  
> -Extra #3 posted on Tumblr! saltedpeppermintmocha.tumblr.com
> 
> -J♡


	6. The PB&J Pancakes

You return to work the next day -not strictly on schedule- to catch up on secretarial duties. Luke seems relieved to have you back, and lets you take over while he goes to talk to customers. There’s a surprising amount of work to be done. It almost seems as though Luke has done _nothing_ in your absence. With a sigh, you sit down and make a list. You need to call the cash handling company (way over due), order new inventory (been out of strawberries for two days now), and talk to the city about some bills.

Cracking your knuckles, you get to it. Everything goes smoothly except for the cash handling. The armoured transport vehicle cannot get to the diner today due to scheduling conflicts. It’s fine, although a little annoying that they only have one for three neighbouring towns (as small as they are). Luke offers to take the money to the bank himself, as he always does, but you shrug him off.

The rest of the week goes by wonderfully. During the day, you act as a regular waitress- no longer a manager, thank god- of the diner, and spend your nights with BP at home. You’ve been working on how you treat BP a lot lately, trying to figure out ways to allow more movement around the town. He must feel stuck, unable to really leave the apartment, but he doesn’t complain. The two of you spend the nights watching movies and relaxing. His restlessness seems to have calmed down.

You’ve also started to take an interest in the two regular MRC representatives, if only to gain information. Now that you _truly_ realize BP’s situation, you’re going to do what you can to help him. The two reps are not helpful, however, and the only information you have are their names: Mac (the older one) and James (the cute one). James has stopped flirting with you, seeming more interested in whatever they have going on. Overall, things seem to be going smoothly. Until Tuesday.

The distinct sound of your alarm wake you up instantly. You groan, turning over and reaching a hand out to grab your phone. Fiddling for only a moment, you manage to turn it off and plop your head back in your pillow. _4am. Yay._ The diner opens at 5:30 so you still have an hour to get ready. Forcing yourself up, you shed your sleep-ware and grab a towel. Mindful of your returning roommate, you wrap it around yourself before heading to the bathroom.

You turn the handle to the bathroom and throw your weight on the door to open in. Oh, it's locked. A muffled sound comes from within, and you lean against the adjacent wall to wait. It's only a moment later that you hear the sound of the door unlocking and BP walks out. He's only dressed in sweatpants- his normal sleep attire- but is holding his jeans and sweater. Is he just changing into sleep clothes now?

"Sorry, little buddy." He brings a hand to his mouth to cover a yawn and walks past you towards the living room. You shrug, and head inside. Quickly you tie up your hair, not wanting to deal with everything that involves _washing_ it when you only did yesterday. The shower wakes you up a bit more, like usual. Only a few minutes later, you step out of the spray and dry yourself off before heading back into the bedroom.

After quickly throwing on some makeup and making your hair look presentable, you slide on your uniform and head out. The lights are off and BP is passed out on the couch. Ever since he returned he’s been sleeping in later. You walk into the kitchen and make yourself an instant-coffee, standing there in a morning-fog while drinking. You leave at 4:40am. The day is normal. You talk to the MRC reps with no results. Luke has taken the evening off for a date, which you tease him about as much as you can. He takes it well, and just seems happy. At 4:30, Lane comes in and you retire to the office for a break.

5:03pm. A loud bang echoes through your head. You sit up instantly. A woman’s scream comes from the diner, followed by three harsh voices and then silence. You are frozen in your seat, heart in your throat. Theres a conversation going on, although you cannot hear it. Then two sets of footsteps begin to get louder. Time seems slow, too slow, but you cannot move. You are staring at the door when they turn in.

Two people in hoodies -hoods over their heads- walk into the room. They have a white material covering the lower part of their face, and sunglasses over their eyes.

“Up! Now sweetheart!” The one in the blue hoodie demands in a deep voice, wielding a knife. You stand up immediately, but stumble slightly in fear. The red-hooded one laughs, and you suck in a breath when you notice the pistol in his hands.

“Alright 'sweetie'. You are not going to scream. You are going to do what we say, and your pretty face will stay that way.” You nod quickly. “Now open that fuckin' safe.” You lurch towards it.

Pain, sharp and confusing, erupts in your cheek. You hit the ground on your side, hand immediately clutching your face. That’s going to bruise tomorrow. If you're alive tomorrow anyways. Red-hood is staring at you, pistol raised. They hit you with the gun. You shudder.

“Move _slowly_ or next time I’ll fuckin' shoot ya.” You pull yourself up on all fours with shaky hands, slowly crawling towards the safe. Mercifully, you type the code in correctly on the first try. You let out a breath of relief when it starts beeping.

“What the fuck is that?!” The deep voice demands.

“It's opening.” You rush to reassure him, tears forming at your eyes. ”See those numbers? T-that countdown? It takes a minute to open.” You don’t dare to move from your position on the floor as the countdown continues. The two hooded figures don’t move either, focused on the safe. Finally, the last beep goes off to the telltale sound of the safe unlocking.

“Open it." You flinch as blue-hood speaks, reaching your shaking arm towards the safe. The safe opens and you close your eyes, knowing what they will see. Its full of money. Money that hasn’t been sent to the bank in almost a week due to you.The two men behind you make sounds of surprise. You back away, curling up under the desk and out of the way of the cheering men. The cash handling company was coming tomorrow. Too late.

“Now stay there cutie and we’ll leave. Nobody gets hurt.” Deep voice. You nod, making yourself as small as possible. Your wide eyes follow the weapons in their hands as they collect the money in large bags. You startle harshly as a hand reaches towards you. It holds 50 dollar bill.

It is placed in front of you. ”For all your help cutie.” Blue hood says in a laughing voice before leaving, the other following closely behind. You sit there under the desk, afraid to move, for what feels like hours. Suddenly a dark shadow covers you. You scream. Hands grab your arms and you struggle.

“Stop! You’re okay! You’re safe!” A male voice. You look up. Heisenberg. You stop struggling immediately and stare at him. His grip loosens and collapse in his arms. You see Bluman behind him, looking terrified. Heisenberg rocks back and forth lightly, making shushing sounds. Shushing? Why was he- _Oh._ You feel the tears suddenly. You’re crying-no, sobbing into his shirt.

The next bits of your memory are hazy at best. You don’t remember how you got to the bench outside or why there is a blanket over you. What you do notice is the time: 5:15. It's only been 12 minutes? How is that possible? The police are here. They talk to you for a few minutes, and you recount the events as best you can. Heisenberg has your phone and you hear him talking to someone on it. _Is it Luke? Oh god. Luke._

Debbie shows up quickly after that, running out of her car and giving you a big hug. She looks frazzled and is still wearing her work uniform, including the lab coat. You almost laugh at that. Almost. She must have left work in the middle of it. The police ‘OK’ you to leave, and the next thing you realize you’re in your bed. Debbie is beside you, being your big spoon.

You stare at the wall for hours- is it hours?- before you fall asleep.

\------

The next morning you wake up beside Debbie. It takes only a minute before everything hits you again. _Deep breaths, one, two, okay._ You carefully manoeuvre out from under her arm and head towards the bathroom. You need a shower. The door behind you closes quietly. Slowly you take off your clothes and leave them on a pile on the floor. You go to the shower and open the curtain. Green eyes stare at you. You scream.

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa Little Buddy its me!” You raise a hand to your mouth, cutting off the sound. _It’s just BP._ You mentally breath a sigh of relief. _Just BP’s…back?_ The answer comes to you just as you ask yourself why he’s turned around. You’re naked. With a high-pitched sound you grab your towel and wrap it around you.

“Are you okay?!” Debbie’s frantic voice comes through, she knocks on the door.

“Yea!” You ensure. “Just saw myself in the mirror.” A joke, good. She laughs quietly and you hear her walk away. For a moment, you and BP stare at each other.

“Why are you in the tub?” That just has to be an important question right now.

“How was I supposed to know you were bringing someone home last night?!” He insists, arms flailing. “You’re lucky I was already in the bathroom. I just jumped in here.” The image that comes to mind, mixed with the thought that he still _hasn’t left_ the bathtub makes you giggle. The giggle turns into a full on laugh, which gains a hysterical edge before turning into sobs. You crouch down.

“Whoa Little Buddy what’s wrong?” BP is at your side with ears drawn back. You lean into him, pushing your face into his sweater. His arms cautiously come around you. The dam has been broken, and you sob into his shoulder. He seems bewildered, but pats your back as you cry. “Your cheek…” He mutters. _Heh, called it. Must be bruised._ Eventually you calm down just enough to tell him what happened. His arms get tighter around you and his breathing gets harsh, but he says nothing.

“I better do something now.” You lean back, rubbing at your eyes. “Or she’ll honestly break down the door.” Your attempt at a smile doesn’t seem to fool him. “Sorry you have to be here. I’ll sneak you food in a bit.” He lets you go as you move to stand. He sits on the counter as you slide into the shower, closing the curtain. You carefully reach out with one arm to hang up the towel, then turn on the shower. Making it quick for BP’s sake, you skip shaving your legs and washing your hair; however, you have to pause a few times to catch your breath. You turn off the shower, wrap yourself in the towel, open the curtain and step out. BP is looking away. You take the moment to look in the mirror fully. Wow, you look like shit. Theres a huge bruise showing on your right cheek and your eyes are red-rimmed and puffy. With a sigh, you turn away from the mirror. “I’ll bring you some food.” You promise on your way out. He gives you a thumbs up, finally looking at you.

It turns out to be exceedingly difficult to get Debbie to leave you alone. Most of you appreciates that she is such a good friend, but you need her to leave as soon as possible. She makes you some of her Deb's special pancakes (peanut butter pancakes topped with jam) that you drown in syrup before eating. You manage to sneak some off to BP while she’s busy, and he seems happy. On the way back you notice his ripped plastic bag beside the couch, and push it under with your foot. Eventually, she is forced to leave for a basic need, the toilet. When she begins to go towards yours, you panic and tell her its broken. That they were fixing it today. She gives you a weird look but shrugs and admits that she does need to be at work anyways. The MRC recruiter was having a huge meeting for all the mechanical engineering staff today. You hug her goodbye and promise to call her if you need her.

The door closes. “You’re free!” You yell out loudly, plopping down on the sofa and fiddling with you phone. It seems like the police want to talk to you again. Luke left several voice messages explaining how ‘it wasn’t your fault’ and ‘everything will be okay’. The loser.

It takes a moment for BP to come out. The laptop is open in front of him as he walks and sits down. Curious, you lean over. It’s the diner. “It’s on the news.” He mutters. It made sense. A robbery in a town as small as this would probably be the headline for a while. BP looks very tense as he silently reads the article. He continues to read until you ask him to stop, that you just need to _not_ think of it right now or you’ll break. Not the healthiest coping mechanism, you know. He closes the page and opens Notflix.

—————

Luke picks you up later that day. You wave off his attempts to comfort you, but smile nonetheless. You ask him about the musicals he saw, and he goes off. Apparently, the people he were with are rich, very rich, and thought it was a ‘disaster of heavenly proportions’ that he hadn’t seen Lion Queen on broadway. His words were full of sarcasm, but he seemed happy enough with the experience.

You arrive at the police station to see Bluman’s ridiculous red car out front, beside Lane’s car. It made sense to call the staff who had been there in together, although you wonder how much Luke is losing by closing the restaurant. _Is it a crime scene now?_ You shudder at the thought. The two of you walk in and see Heisenberg sitting beside Lane. You sit beside Lane and Luke goes up to the desk to talk to the police officer. Apparently Heisenburg is waiting for Bluman to give his statement, since the family rides together. Bluman comes out, looking annoyed at the police man following her. She gives him the middle finger when his back is turned before walking up to her uncle.

“Oh, hey boss!” She gives you a wink. You go to say that you’re not her boss but she continues. “Alright, lets hit it.” Heisenberg gets up and they leave. Lane is called in next, so you’re alone for a few minutes. It’s almost unreal, being at the station. It’s small, maybe three rooms at best. It’s not as if the town has situations like this normally. The officers are actually shared between the neighbouring three towns, although there is always officers present at each location.

“Okay, I gave my statement yesterday. Although they don’t really need mine, I wasn’t there. I’m sorry. ” Luke sits down beside you. You shake your head and say for the tenth time that morning that he doesn’t need to apologize. The two of you sit in silence- Luke fiddling with his phone and you staring into the distance- until Lane comes out. She thanks the officer and waves at you before leaving.

The actual statement process was clinical, but draining. You are asked to remember as many details as possible, although when you do it makes your eyes burn. You explain how Blue-hood was shorter with a deeper voice and held a knife, while Red-hood was taller with a higher voice and had the pistol. But you don’t have much more information. They hand you a flier for a trauma psychologist that you can speak with over the phone. You crumple it up in your pocket.

In the end, you leave feeling useless. Luke drives you to the diner to pick up your car. There is no police tape around the diner or anything like that, but it's exceedingly weird to see it empty with lights off during the day. One police car is there, but the officers must be inside.

You wave to Luke as you pull away, headed home. As the diner fades into the distance, the burn behind your eyes grows. This is the first time you’ve been alone since it happened, and now you’re letting it hit you completely. You have to pull over somewhere down the line in order to cry. And you cry for a long time. Ugly tears, accentuated with hiccups and shaky breath. Luckily you had some tissue in the glove-department. Drying your cheeks, you decide to postpone going home to grab a pizza. Vegetarian, how BP seems to like it. You also stop at the liquor store around the corner. Vodka, how you like it. You must have some type of juice at home.

Your old neighbour greets you as you walk into the apartment building. You give him a small greeting back but do not stay to chat. Walking into your apartment, you don’t immediately see BP. You put the pizza and vodka on the kitchen counter and call out his name. For a moment you hear nothing, before a small sound. Curious, you walk towards it. Its coming form the hallway. Is he in the bathroom? You don’t want to disturb him but a quick look shows the door is wide open. Taking that as an invitation, you walk in.

BP is standing in the middle of the bathroom with his hood up. His tail is puffed up.

“BP?”

“Don’t panic.” He whispers. He slowly turns to look at you.

There is a collar around his throat.

**“What. The. Fuck?!”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI MY LOVELIES (ﾉ･ｪ･)ﾉ
> 
> Aaaand that's it for the non-skele plot! You'll hear at least a little about our other main character from the next chapter on! Sorry if this chapter seemed a little rushed. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your comments and theories, it made me smile for all of last night <3  
> I've mentioned it before but feedback REALLY does make content come faster from me, due to motivation and inspiration! 
> 
> -J♡


	7. The Full Breakfast

_No. No way._ You stare at him, eyes blinking slowly. BP had led you both towards the couch before his explanation. It was a good idea, there’s no way your shaky legs would be supporting you enough right now.

“It’s a win-win situation for both of us.” He explains. Despite his confident words, his paw hasn’t left the collar.

“I want to say no.” You mutter, looking away and crossing your arms. “I _really_ do. Because this is stupid. A stupid idea that can get both of us in more trouble than we could imagine.” You sigh. “But I can’t, can I? I promised to treat you like an equal.” He is not your pet. You don’t get to decide what he does and does not do. You suck in a long breath. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” He nods once. _Fuck._ “Okay then. Tomorrow I’ll bring you in.” You send a quick message to Luke. He responds quickly, as usual.

“If we're doing this.” You mutter, standing up. "Tonight I’m really going to need the vodka." You walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. Pepsi, sure that will work. You make two drinks with more vodka than is strictly necessary and bring them out with the pizza.BP accepts them both happily, chugging the vodka soda back quickly. You grab a slice of pizza and alternate bites with drinks. You turn on a comedy. Neither of you laugh much at the movie, and half way through you begin to talk instead. BP passes out a few hours later.

Your heart is pounding too hard to sleep, but you head to your bedroom anyways. You stare at your ceiling for what is definitely hours on end before falling asleep.

———

The next morning, BP is awake before you. He’s already dressed and sitting on the couch with your laptop, scrolling through the news. You get ready quickly, and sit down beside him with two cups of coffee. He grabs one, mumbling a thanks. From the smell on his clothes, he’s already gone through a cigarette.

“I need to ask one more time.” You take a sip of needed caffeine. “Are you sure about this?”

“No.” He mutters, eyes not straying from the laptop. “But us monsters, we can’t be sure about anything anymore.” He looks at you. “I’m doing this.” You look at his eyes and nod. _Alright then._

You both sit in silence drinking your coffee before getting up and putting on outerwear. BP borrows a scarf from you, but otherwise has enough to keep himself warm. You wonder when (and where) he got those boots. He slides his hood up as you leave the apartment, almost unnecessarily at this point. You say nothing, and lead the way down.

Nobody is outside (thank the stars) so you get into the car with BP in the passenger seat. Out of habit, you blast the radio. It’s probably the best decision, as it allows you to focus on something else. BP doesn’t seem to mind, his ears are up and head nodding lightly.

You park the car in the almost empty lot, and take a deep breath. Looking over to BP you notice his ears twitching nervously. His paw reaches for his pocket, where he’d usually keep the cigarettes. Not today. “Lets’ go.”

The door chimes as you walk in. It is colder, and creepier when empty. For a moment, you both look around. There is nobody. “There’s somebody in the kitchen.” BP says. You trust him, having learned early on that his hearing is much better than your own. With a nod, you both start towards the back. You push open the kitchen doors and a heavenly smell hits you. Luke is standing there, back towards the door and handling 4 pans.

“Hey!” He calls out, turning quickly from the stovetop with a big smile. “So you’re the one that has our-“ He stops mid-sentence. His eyes rake over BP quickly, and settle on the collar around his neck. A huge frown grows on his face.

“The fuck is going on here?”

———

“Such a shame.”

The two men walk inside the crowded bar. _McLarens._ It looks pretty typical for a bar. Nothing extravagant. But being the only bar in the god-forsaken town, it’s busy. Theres an extremely loud group of five sitting at a booth close to the bar.

“Yea.” James replies. “I like the diner better.”

“I bet you did.” Mac smirks. James rolls his eyes.

“I meant the atmosphere.”

“You meant that waitress.”

They sit down at a table far away from the noisy group. A waiter comes over to take their order. They wait until he leaves. “Last meal, James, are you sure you want to make it a _salad_?”

James rolls his eyes. “I’ll just be happy to get back to Ebott. This place is too small.” They sit in silence for a few moments. Mac’s phone pings, and he looks down.

“Finally. We’re leaving tomorrow at three in the morning. The recruits have been picked.”

“Yea? They any good?”

“Rebecca says they have room for improvement, but better than the last batch.” Mac laughs, and seems to remember something that James doesn't.

The waiter appears with their beers. James waits until the waiter is far away before continuing. “What are we going to do about _him_?”

“Hm?” Mac looks up from his beer. “The rogue? He’s moved on. The diner trail went cold a month ago."

“It's weird though, isn’t it Mac, how he just seems to disappear completely from any location we find him at?”

Mac shrugs. "They’re sending the special group out to the surrounding towns.” Mac takes another sip of his beer. “It isn’t our problem anymore.” James frowns, but gives in and starts on his beer.

Neither of them notice the shadow of a creature in the corner, staring directly at them and sipping straight from a ketchup bottle.

———

BP sits beside you in the booth, immediately beginning to fiddle with the cutlery. Luke elected to stay in the kitchen to finish the food. _Probably mostly to collect himself._ You guessed. You start to tap a nervous beat onto the table and can feel the monsters tail brush against your leg as it swings. Finally Luke returns, holding three plates of a full english breakfast and a pot of coffee. He places everything down, and plops into the bench beside you. Nobody grabs for anything. Everyone looks very stressed. No surprise.

“Hi.” He smiles at BP. “I’m Luke. And you are?”

“You can call me BP.” He gives a shaky smile back. Awkward silence.

“Why is-“ Luke starts. Pausing. “How-“ Pause. “What’s happening here?” He gestures wildly at BP.

“It’s just like what I said in the text, I have someone willing to work for less.” You explain. “BP here wants to work. I know we’re low on funds, but there is no ‘minimum’ for monster pay. He can work for whatever you’re willing to-“

“Stop.” He demands. You flinch at his tone. Luke has never been angry at you before. “BP, can you go into the back room please?” BP looks at you, eyes wide. You shrug and he slides out of the booth, going towards the back. It’s silent until you hear the door of the office close.

“What the **fuck** are you playing at?!” He leans across the table, hands hitting it and causing coffee to splash over one of the cups.

“I-I don’t-“

“If you weren’t…you, I’d have kicked you out right now.” His voice is low.” But I’ve known you for FIVE years and I’ve never got an inkling that you’re the type to own a fucking slave.” As scary as he is being, the fact that Luke seems to be vehemently against slaves makes you feel relief.

“It’s not what you think!” You exclaim, putting your hands up in a placating manner. He makes a disbelieving sound.

“Honestly, I don’t give a rats ass what you have to tell me.” He points to the office door with his thumb. “It’s him I want to talk to.” He doesn’t say any more. _What is he-oh oh is he waiting for my permission?_ The idea makes you feel sick.

“W-well of course.” You try to smile. You fail. He gets up instantly and marches towards the back. You hear a knock, the door opening and closing, then silence.

You lean back and sigh heavily. _What a shitstorm this has turned out to be._ Raising your hands, you start to rub at your temples slightly. It’s all up to BP now. If everything went wrong, there would be major consequences. Eventually you lean forward and start to pick at your food. Boredom, mostly. Then your phone pings.  
  
**[from Debbie]** : I need to talk to you.  
  
You frown. That sounds ominous.  
  
**[to Debbie]** : Okay, want to call at 7?  
  
You go back to picking at your food, only managing a bite or two. Nerves are growing quickly in your stomach. _Deep breathes. Everything will be fine._ Repeating this mantra helps, a little.

Finally you hear the sound of the back door open. You sit up, and turn your head. Luke rounds the corner first, face unreadable. BP follows behind, looking at you the instant he could. He smiles, and you fill with relief. They sit back down in their places, Luke grabbing his coffee and taking a huge drink. You watch him intently.

He swallows and places the cup down before looking at you. “BP has told me everything.”A smile breaks out on his face. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You are so badass!” You frown for a moment. BP hits your leg with his hand, prompting you to speak.

“Uh, yea. Sorry.” _What the fuck did BP tell him?!_ “I was pretty shaken up by all of it and well…monster sentiments are not that high.” Luke looks offended for a moment, as If he was hurt you’d think he would be racist. His expression calms Into an inquisitive look.

“So, I understand that BP wants to work.” He looks at BP, who nods.

“This is a small town, you know. I have no idea how the public will react.” BP shrugs in reply. “If you’re certain, she’s been getting on my ass about a busboy for months now. I can’t pay you much, honestly, barely a students wage most likely.” You know thats more than most monsters receive.

BP looks straight at Luke. “That is fine.”

“What’s your availability and previous experience?”

“Well my availability is essentially whenever she's working. I can't exactly get here without her.” You frown at that thought. _Then again, it would look better if the ‘owner’ was here._ “And for experience…I worked in fast food and a restaurant for the equivalent of 3 human years in the underground. I can't exactly get you a reference though.”

Luke takes a bite of his scrambled egg, chewing slowly in thought. He swallows.

“Well then. Welcome to the team!" He holds up his cup of coffee. Relief floods your senses and you look at BP. He has the same emotion on his face. “C’mon guys, don’t leave me hanging!” You chuckle and raise your cup, BP following suit. You clink the ceramic together and take a sip. Surreal.

————

“You’re…leaving town?”

“I’m sorry.” Debbie replies. “Tomorrow. Three in the morning. It won't be for forever. Three months in Ebott and I'll be back!” The events of the day mixed with this news making you feel slightly numb.

“Tomorrow? I won’t get to see you then.” She stays silent. “Why?”

“After seeing that collar.” She begins after a few moments of silence. “I realized I can’t just do nothing anymore. Humans have _slaves_ again, and I can’t stand by and let it happen.” You chuckle quietly to yourself, knowing that feeling entirely. “If I can do something, _anything_ , it’ll be from Ebott. I’ve been given the chance to go to the MRC headquarters! I can’t turn this down. I’m going to find something to tear them down from the inside.”

You are filled with pride and awe for your friend. “You’re amazing.” You whisper.

“No.” Her voice returns to a serious note. “I’m only doing what’s right.”

“I'm going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

The rest of the conversation is sappy and unnecessary but, hey, you were losing your best friend for three months. It was definitely called for.

You hang up feeling a weird mixture of sadness and pride. With a deep breath you walk into the living room. BP is watching an episode of Game of Swords. You sit down beside him and steal a handful of his popcorn. John Slush is making out with some red-headed chick. You lean back into the couch and shove some popcorn into your mouth.

A few minutes later, BP gets up. He walks into the kitchen and you hear the clinking of glass. He returns a moment later with two glasses. You take a sip immediately and snort: vodka soda. "Thank you."

"Figured it was a celebration sort of night." He explains, sitting down.

"No, thank you for what you're doing." _For the amount of trust you're putting in me to even attempt this._

He shrugs, taking a sip of his drink. You think on earlier.   
  


_**24 Hours Earlier**_  
  
_"You want to...work...at the diner."_  
  
_"Yea."_

_"But why?!" You throw your hands up, more confused than ever._

_"It's not free to house me, I'm not an idiot." He sighs. "Listen little buddy, I want to help out."_

_"If this is about getting out of the apartment. I'll find another-"_

_"Oh my stars, no. I've already been leaving the apartment." He pauses at your shocked look. "I wasn't really hiding it from you, I just can't go out during the day." Is that when he got those boots? Is that why he's been going to sleep so late?_

_"That aside, your plan involves...that thing." You try to reason, looking pointedly at the collar. "There must be another way."_

_"I'm not...happy that I have to wear one of these again." He admits, paw still resting on the collar. Again? "But it's fake. I know it, you know it. You can't order me to do shit. It can't harm me at all. And let's face it, if I want to work I need an owner." He looks at you. Chills crawl down your back. "Look, it works out. Nothing like what happened can happen again. The collar will let me use my magic to protect my 'owner'." Why does he know so much about the collar? "You'll be safe, there will be extra money and no boredom for me." He gives you a small smile._

_"It's a win-win situation for both of us."_  
  
  
  
  
And you certainly feel like you've won. Somehow, for now, things seem to have worked out. But tomorrow is BP's first shift and the grand re-opening of the diner. Everything could go downhill quickly. Negative anticipation and stress threaten to overshadow your mind. You take a deep breath out, and a big sip of the drink. _No_. You're not going to let negative thoughts get the best over you this time.   
  
You essentially chug the drink back, allowing the alcohol to fuzz your mind and focus on the show. _Not this time._  

—————

As it turns out, BP is an absolute natural. He handles himself in the diner with ease. The customers are shocked at first to see him. Some are kinda rude, some are kinda interested, but overall nobody crosses any real boundaries. After the first night, BP admitted that he expected much worse.

Lane and Jess took to BP quickly. The most shocked seemed to be Heisenberg and Bluman, who Immediately went pale at the sight of BP. The next day they were incredibly hostile towards you. Heisenberg straight out ignored your orders half the time, causing customers to get angry at you. Bluman just glared at you out of the corner of her eyes. It wore on you throughout the day.

You vented about it briefly to BP, who stiffened Immediately. On his break, he went straight to the kitchen. You have no idea what happened in there, but damn if you weren't curious. After his break, Heisenberg starts taking your orders and Bluman’s stare becomes more curious than angry. Despite all this good fortune, you're still constantly on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Luke and Lane have both commented on how jumpy you've been. You've noticed yourself getting a bit snappy at customers and agitated a lot quicker at mistakes. After two weeks, things are as close to normal as possible. Thats when the customer comes.

“Monster! Hey, you!” You look up. A man is snapping in BP’s face. To his credit, the monster just leans back, using the broom as leverage. “I dripped coffee on my table. Clean it.” The man isn’t a regular, you’ve never seen him before. He's dressed in a blazer and dress pants. _From the city then?_ The monster shrugs slowly, leaning forward to clean the drip of coffee from the table. The man smirks. “I also got some on my shoe. Clean it.”

BP looks conflicted. “Uh, no?” He steps back. “Not part of my job description.” The man’s face pinches up. You stop talking to your own customers, instead watching the altercation.

“If I say to clean my shoes, you have to do it mongrel!” Oh hell no. You put down your notepad, slide the cutlery into your apron pocket and march over.

“Actually,” He puts a paw on his collar. “This means I only have to take direction from one person. And that isn't you.”

The man opens his mouth to reply, but stops. You’re beside him now. “Leave. Now.” The mans face starts to get red.

“How dare you treat a customer like this? First you dare have a _monster_ within close distance to food, then you-“

“I don’t give a shit.” Your voice is cold, harsh. “Get out you fucking terrible excuse for a human being.” A paw lands on your shoulder, pulling you back. You hadn’t realized you were leaning into the mans face. For a moment, nobody moves. Then you see white, the back of Heisenberg's chef uniform. The chef grabs the mans arm harshly, pulling him up from the booth.   
  
"You are not welcome here anymore." They both leave your sight, but you can hear the disgruntled customer screaming curses and slurs as he is led outside. You're staring at the booth where the man was, shaking in anger. 

“Calm down there, it wasn't that bad little buddy.” A whisper in your ear. “I've been expecting worse for a while. Now, breath.” You breath out instantly, unknowing when you started to hold your breath. You unclench your palms. “Maybe you should take a breather outside.”

“Maybe I should take a breather outside.” You copy, sighing loudly. You look up at BP, who’s frowning in concern. The anger is still there, boiling underneath your skin. Yea, you need some fresh air. You turn on your heel and head straight for the back. The silence begins to fill with chattering patrons as you leave.

You slam the back door open angrily. _Who the FUCK does he think he is?!_ You scream in frustration, the weeks on end of stress fuelling your agitated state. You rear back and punch the dumpster angrily. _FUCK, that hurt._ You stare into the distance and clutch your hand in pain.

“what did that dumpster ever do to you?”

You jump. _Holy shit._ You’re not alone. Theres a figure near other dumpster, right where you were looking. _How did I not see it?_ Its short and facing towards you. You freeze.

A blue hood.

The hood is up, covering the top half of the mans face. The bottom half is…skeletal? _A skeleton mask, really?_ Anger gives you confidence.

“Why are you here?!” You close your eyes as you demand, frightened. No answer. Your anger increases.

“Hey, fuck-face. Didn’t you do enough damage?” You open your eyes and the man is suddenly much closer. You scream. He’s only a few meters away now.

You remember the cutlery in your pocket, and pull out a knife. It wont do much, but it makes you feel a _little_ better. You palm the knife, breathing heavily. _Is his friend around? Are they casing the place?_ You feel your eyes burning. _Why now? Why is everything going to shit at once?_

The person flinches harshly at the sight of the knife. An advantage? You wave the knife around in panic. “See this? I have a KNIFE!” You think of everyone in the diner, the anger turning to blind panic chest. Maybe, just maybe, you can scare him away? Then nobody will get hurt. 

"don't do something you'll regret." Is he threatening you?   
  


_No no nononononono._ Your mind flitters through your disjointed memories of the event. Of the blue hood, the deep voice, the fear, the pain. Of breaking down into tears in your car the next day. Of endless nightmares keeping you awake at night, and memories keeping you afraid during the day. You've been looking at everybody differently, always thinking 'is _he_  one of them?'.  Sometimes when the nightmares get too bad, you open the crumpled piece of paper with the trauma psychologists number. You've come _so_ close, but never actually hit 'call'.     
  
In 12 minutes, this man has ruined you, not to mention whatever hell Lane and the customers are also going through. You can't let him do that to anyone else, not again. You take a step forward, brandishing the knife. Suddenly the skeleton mask grins. _Wait. What?_

**“ok kid, you’re about to have a B A D T I M E.”**

Theres a blue flash under the hood. Then all you know is pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO MY DARLINGS ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ
> 
> It's jumpy, disjointed and awkward, but its HERE! We have reached skeletons!!  
> I won't be updating essentially every day (like I have been) now that we've reached the plot. BUT I will still guarantee a post every Wednesday and if I get excited enough I will post more :)
> 
> Thank you so much everyone for your support!  
> Add me at saltedpeppermintmocha.tumblr.com if you want. I'll answer any questions/comments more directly there!
> 
> -J♡


	8. The Ketchup Packets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Descriptions of Violence

Sans is tired, _so_  damn tired.  
  
He can tell by the fuzziness of his vision, the way his magic doesn't do what he wants, the way his bones ache and head pounds. He feels almost melted into the chair at the bar, _McLarens_ , watching the MRC bastards chat away. They’re laughing, eating and being fucking merry. Familiar anger boils in him as he watches. He clutches the ketchup bottle a bit harder and takes a sip.  
  
Getting into the bar after the reps had been easy. Eight years of hiding in shadows had taught him the situations where hiding in plain sight works best. One peek through a window, a quick and painful teleport later, and he had been at the back of the bar. The table he picks was close enough to hear what the MRC were saying, but not close enough for them to really see him. The waiter hadn’t even noticed him for a while, and when he did Sans had just waved the confused man off. He knows he looks out of place, with gloves on, hood up and scarf over his face. It wasn’t a normal sight, but being seen as a monster was worse. He _knows_  that as 'friendly' as those MRC idiots were, they were still dangerous. And he was not going back to that. Never again. At least now he just looked like an eccentric human.The ketchup bottle had been a welcome surprise, full and delicious. He felt his magic replenish slightly as he drank the stuff.  
  
After their quick chat, the two reps change to more personal topics. He sighs, knowing their use was coming to an end. He finishes his ketchup and watches the two men take their leave. He follows them on foot out of the bar and watches them through narrowed eyes get into the van before driving off. If he could, he’d dunk on them right now. No, too much of a scene. He's not strong enough anymore. Slowly he turns and walks towards the closest tree-line.  
  
He’s at the MRC’s meeting point hours earlier than anyone. Whats the point in waiting, it’s not like he’d be able to sleep. His head nods slightly, and he has to shake himself awake more then a few times. The van pulls up at 2:40am. Mac and James are inside, sipping on some coffee. A few minutes later a truck pulls up with three people in the flat-bead. All six people leave the truck and head into the van. He can’t hear any words being said, and they drive off. Sans watches the road they leave on for hours after, ensuring to themselves that they were not returning.  
  
Eventually he gets up, and forces his aching bones into the town. The ketchup from yesterday had done wonders for his magic, filling him up more than he’d been for weeks. He tries to take a shortcut but only makes It a few feet. He sighs. At least now that the MRC are gone, he feels a bit more confident walking on the outskirts of town. With his hood up and scarf wrapped around his face nobody looks at him twice. He stops at a few dumpsters along the way, pulling out food where he can.  
  
Sans looks everywhere he can think of: basements, barns, tool-sheds, inhabited houses, wherever may be empty enough for such an operation. He comes up with nothing. It’s beyond frustrating. BP hadn’t told him anything before his disappearance. He’d been _protecting the humans_. He wishes that he’d fought the cat monster more on that. How the fuck was he going to find them now? He’s laying on a log in the forest, groaning into his hands. Doubt is flaring in his mind. Maybe there was no way to find them. Maybe they had given up. Maybe the cat monster was lying about all of this. He wouldn’t know. He just wants to sleep for a long long time. Forever, maybe. Exhaustion is weighing him down. He closes his eyes.   
  
_That_ memory pops into his head. His brother, holding him tightly in goodbye, tears streaming own his face. _”I BELIEVE IN YOU BROTHER.”_   His head hurts. His heart hurts. It’s been so long, and he’s heard nothing from Papyrus. And with the situation being as bad as it was...Sans just has to hope everything is okay. But he's a little low on hope right now.   
  
His eyes open slowly and he pulls himself up. The stars know that he’d have given up ages ago if it wasn’t for his brother. With a small push, he slides off the log. If he’s going to find these humans, he has to start looking somewhere.  
  
In the end he finds himself near the diner. He hasn’t been back for months, since BP’s disappearance. Maybe he’d missed something, a clue or anything that the other monster left behind to tell him where to go. He’d seemed too invested in this whole thing to suddenly abandon it. He’s putting up his hood and about to break from the tree-line when he overhears a conversation. Two girls are talking loudly as they leave the diner and walk towards their car.  
  
“-cool!”  
  
“I don’t know, it kinda freaked me out?”  
  
“Really, why? He seemed nice!”  
  
“Just-magic? Stuff of nightmares. They’re called monsters for a reason.”  
  
The rest of the conversation cuts out as the two girls close the car door. His eyes are wide. Why are they talking about monsters? A slight panic grows in his chest as he breaks the tree-line. He wraps his scarf quickly around the bottom half of his face and heads straight for the closest side window. Quickly rubbing away the condensation, he peers in.  
  
_what the fuck?_ He breaths in slowly. There is a monster in there. Not just any monster, BP. Eye lights go immediately to the collar around his neck. He feels sick. Sans had thought, when the cat hadn’t shown up in a few weeks that he’d bolted. That he’d given up on the plan and left town. Nobody could blame him, it was risky shit. But this, this was much worse.  
  
He watches as a waitress called him over, BP following immediately. That must be _her_ , the owner. They never strayed too far from their slave. He backs away, pain and regret for the other monster forming in his chest. Sans takes in a strained breath. What to do now? Parts of him long to dunk on them all, every last human in there. One time, he would have. But he is nowhere near strong enough at the moment. Too exhausted from sleepless nights and starvation. Unable to even teleport himself much at the moment, he’d get _maybe_ one human before the others got him. He walks around the diner to the back. The familiar dumpster was there, quiet other than a solo rat. BP must have been captured the entire time. His hands clench into fists.  
  
For a while he stands there, looking up at the sky and swearing profusely in his mind. Then he looks towards the dumpster. At least, some good could come from this. It takes him a minute to climb into it, uncovered feet landing on the garbage harshly. He leans down and begins to tear one open. He never felt ashamed for this. In the end monsters were used to this. In the underground they had ‘fun’ in the garbage dump. The first bag was useless, filled with broken plates and kitchen utensils. The next one, however made his eyes widen. Ketchup packets. A whole box of them. He smiles slightly and stuffs as many packets as he can in his pockets. Jackpot.  
  
His small happiness is shattered by a loud thud, followed by an angry scream. He stiffens immediately, hand freezing in its position. Senses on alert, he hears footsteps. Right outside the dumpster. _Fuck._ For a moment all he can hear is someones laboured breathing.  
  
Suddenly, a booming crash shakes the dumpster. It echoes up his bones and rattles his skull. Pain.  
  
Escape.  
  
Now.  
  
He reaches for whatever magic he can grab inside his exhausted bones and pulls for a shortcut out. For a brief minute he is nowhere and everywhere. Terrified. Panicked. Unstable. He reappears right beside the dumpster. His body screams at him for the unnecessary use of magic, pain beginning to ring through his skull.  
  
He looks up. Its her. The human that holds BP captive. The human that is stopping all progress they’ve made. Keeping him from Papyrus. Anger uncoils from inside him. His skull pounds in pain. For a brief moment, he can place the sins of all humanity on this one. Her eyes are open, staring straight at him. Her face is in a grimace, and she’s clutching her hand.  
  
“what did that dumpster ever do to you?” His voice is harsh, unkind. She startles, jumping back in fright. His sinister smile grows slightly as she takes in his appearance. She seems scared. Good. She should be. She’s alone, just one human. He can take one human. Maybe he can use her fear to his advantage here.   
  
“Why are you here?!” Her voice shakes as she screams, eyes closing. Yea, she’s terrified. What the hell is she saying though? His magic crackles around him. Sure, he can’t teleport, but he can certainly dunk on one small slave-owner. He takes a few steps forward, then pauses. Can he really do this? The bones of his hands shake. He thinks of Papyrus' face, his belief in Sans. Maybe he can just threaten her, shake her up a little.   
  
“Hey, fuck-face. Didn't you do enough damage?” Her eyes then open and she screams at how close he is. He almost laughs. Then she reaches into her pocket and takes out something.  
  
A _knife._  
  
He flinches backwards. Visions of the same days happening over and over again. Of a human with a knife and murder in their eyes. The pain of dying. The _worse_ pain of watching Papyrus die. Of giving up, of hope dying. Over and over and over.  
  
The weapon swishes through the air. “See this? I have a KNIFE!”  
  
“don’t do something you’ll regret.” He warns, voice dark with promise. She steps forward, eyes on him. All intentions to merely scare and threaten the human leave. Magic crackles even harsher around him, like electricity in the air.  
  
**“ok kid, you’re about to have a B A D T I M E** ’  
  
She takes another step forward.  His hand flies straight out, covered in blue magic.  
  
Her form is quickly encased in the same. He moves his hand slightly, and she is pulled harshly from the ground. She struggles, swinging her knife around wildly.  
  
Her mouth opens. About to scream, to call for help. **N O**.  His eyes narrow and he watches the skin around her throat go red. She can’t scream anymore. She’s choking, body heaving.  
  
Oh so slowly, he begins to close his hand. The magic around her begins to tighten, pulling at her skin. Her hands spasm in pain, face screwed up and blood starting to leak from her nose. He remembers red eyes and pain.  
  
He doesn’t stop.  
  
He closes his eye sockets as the first cracking sound comes.  
  
Another one.  
  
Another one. The knife clatters to the ground. The struggling stops.  
  
He doesn’t stop.  
  
A loud, metallic thud breaks through the crackling magic.  
  
“Are you be-HOLY SHIT!” Sans eyes snap open at the voice. It’s BP, standing outside and staring with his mouth open in shock. His eyes snap down from the human.  
  
“Put her down.” Sans’ hand stops closing, but he doesn’t release the human. Why is BP doing this?  
  
“Put. Her. Down. Sans”  
  
“why are you always protecting humans?” He growls out.  
  
“PUT HER DOWN NOW!” Green magic flies towards him, and he cuts his concentration to dodge out of the way.  
  
She falls from the sky into a pile on the floor, blood beginning to pool around her. BP rushes forwards, kneeling at the humans side. He’s muttering a repeating loop of ‘oh my god no no’. His ears are back, tail puffed and hands hovering over her but not touching. What is he doing?  
  
Sans takes a few steps forward. A growl begins to emit from the monster. “bp what are you-“  
  
“You had better hide Sans.” The growl grows louder, and those green eyes bore into his. “Or the others will see you.”  
  
"but I don’t understand.” He stutters in confusion. Why is he protecting her? “she’s your owner-“  
  
“HELP! HELP! NOW” BP’s voice is loud. For a brief moment, Sans is frozen. His eyes are locked with BP’s, confused and panicked. Then he takes a few steps backwards, turns and bolts behind the dumpster.  
  
A big bald human and smaller girl come outside first. Their faces morph to panic as they see the two laying there. Immediately, the bald one reaches for a phone in his pocket and begins to call.  
  
“Oh my god oh my god, what happened?!” The girl exclaims. BP looks away.  
  
“It’s some monster shit isn’t it?” She groans. “Shit okay, whatever.” She kicks at a can on the ground, sending it flying. The bald one appears again, leaning over the hurt human and checking moving her limbs slightly. He finishes the conversation on the phone.  
  
“They said they could have an ambulance her in 30 minutes.” He explains. “I’m taking her inside. We’ll lay her out on one of the tables.” He bends down, pausing as a paw blocks his way.  
  
“Isn’t movement..bad for hurt humans?” BP asks.  
  
“Yea well leaving her like this isn’t doing any good either!” The girl huffs, crossing her arms. “I’ll go clear out the diner and call bossman.”  
  
The bald one picks her up very carefully and they begin to walk around the corner of the restaurant. BP doesn’t spare him a another glance as he follows them out of sight.  
  
  
—————  
  
  
BP sits in the chair beside her bed, nervously tapping on his leg. The doctors have long since gone, nurse only checking in once in a while. It's silent and dark. On the plus side, the police are gone as well. That had _not_  been fun. He’d spent the entire interaction terrified that they would ask for his nonexistant papers. That would be the worst can of worms to open right now. He sighs, and leans back into the chair. Luke had left him a book about a terrifying clown? Thats the only description he’d got before the boss left. _Well, might as well._ He opens it up and began to read.  
  
Hours later the air crackled around him. He puts down the book with a groan. Not again. But there he is, the skeleton of the hour, walking into the room. He looks worse than ever, with huge circles under his eyes and shaking bones.  
  
“Should’ve known you’d be by.” He mutters. Sans looks at him, seemingly shocked to see him, before looking back at her. She isn't a pretty sight, for sure. Her neck has huge bandages wrapped around it, bruises showing over the edges. Her leg is suspended in the air, wrapped in a long white cast. The rest of her is littered with bruises and lesions.  
  
He turns to glare at Sans. “You were off your game today, _Judge_ ” He mocks. The skeleton flinches at the nickname. Good. Then he lets out a shaky sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning against the wall.  
  
“yea, i meant to crush her whole body, not just one leg.”  
  
BP’s fur stands on edge. Was that some crude attempt at humour? “Not what I meant, and you know it.” He growls, bearing his fangs.  
  
“i know nothing.” The skeleton sneers back, pushing up from the wall. “why are you protecting your fucking _owner_  anyways?” His voice turns disgusted at the word ‘owner’, and eye lights dim dramatically. “when did you go so soft. you off _ALL_  damn monsters should hate her for putting that shit on you.”  
  
The pain of long-past memories hits him harshly. He takes a deep breath in and stands up, feeling the book fall from his lap to the floor. “You mean this?” He reaches a paw up to his neck, finding the release button quickly and hitting it. The collar falls to the floor with a clang. Sans jaw opens in shock, staring at the collar. “Yea, this isn’t real. She isn’t forcing me to do shit." He stops for a minute, attempting to calm down. "You were right when you said you know nothing."  
  
The silence is broken only by the beeping machines keeping her alive. They stare at each other for a long moment, before BP huffs and sits back down. He grabs the collar off the floor and clips it back around his neck. In case the nurse comes back.   
  
He’s so tired. Fuck.  
  
“how?” The skeleton stares at the collar. “ i dont understand. thats not possible.”  
  
“And yet you did this.” He looks pointedly over the human. Sans eye lights follow his, and BP watches the skeleton flinch into himself slightly. Maybe even  _that_ skeleton can feel guilt. Even after everything he's done. After a few moments, he sighs. “She didn’t want me to put it on, hated the idea of even pretending to own me. It’s what I chose, Sans.”  
  
"why?"  
  
"To help her."  
  
Another silence.  
  
“you abandoned the operation.”  
  
“Yeah.” He nodded, rubbing at an ear with his paw. “I needed a break. You like those too, if I remember correctly.” Sans looks lost. Yeah, theres not much he can say to that. “I’m back at it now. Although, this will throw everything back a while.”  
  
“does she know?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“if you trust her that much-“  
  
“It’s _not_  that Sans.” He’s annoyed now, tail swishing angrily against the ground. “ I don’t want to bring her into this. She helped me out of the goodness of her own heart. She’s not going to get messed up in all of this.”  
  
“goodness of her heart, huh.” A whisper and the skeleton is gone.  
  
BP rolls his eyes and picks up the book off the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MON AMI (´∀｀ゞ
> 
> This is the only time I'll ever post this early, oh my god. FML. I'll be out until late so it was either post it now or on Monday. I've got no internet access till then.
> 
> I feel the *least* confident with this chapter. I've had the next three chapters written looong before this one, and was still trying to edit it last last night. I'd be fighting with it the the entire weekend SO might as well say fuck it and throw it out there instead.
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone! All your support is absolutely amazing!!!
> 
> -J♡


	9. The Solo Ego

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**  
  
Consciousness hits you slowly and reluctantly, as if something is trying to drag you back into nothingness. You have to fight it to wake up, your only hold on reality being the rhythmic beeping. ****  
  
Beep. Beep. Beep.  
  
You open your eyes. A bright light hits them, burning. You close your eyes. _What_ is _that beeping?_ After a few minutes, you are able to try again. You squint and blink rapidly, desperately trying to adjust to the lights. Your head feels funny.  _You_ feel funny.  _Where am I?_  
  
As your eyes adjust, your memory returns. The bastard at the diner, anger, the dumpster, a skeleton mask,  _the colour blue and pain._ Realization hits you quickly.  _Holy shit. Not a mask._ Then that had been magic, right?  There's no way that wasn't magic. Right? So, you're at a hospital then? Wait. Shouldn't you be in pain? At least a little? You look down quickly, attempting to see the damage. Your eyes widen. Thats a cast. A huge cast. Shit. You push yourself into a sitting position.  
  
"Whoa little buddy, slow down." A soft force on your shoulder pushes you back to lay down. It's not strong, but you can't do anything but comply. Oh. You're weak. You cringe, suddenly aware of the weakness in your muscles. Damnit. You look over to your left and breath out a sigh of relief. It's BP. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I feel...fine. Good." Your voice is scratchy. Water. BP chuckles and hands you a glass. Can he read your mind? That's not something magic can do, right? You accept it without question, chugging it back. Ahh. Perfect. "A little  _too_ good actually."  
  
"That'll be the drugs." He says dryly. You laugh, a little too hard. Yup, definitely the drugs. "You're on some pretty heavy stuff."  
  
"Bp what...what happened?" You question, holding the cup in your hands. The monster looks guilty for a second, ears pulling towards his skull before looking away. "Please? That was magic, right? I'm not crazy. That must be."   
  
There is a long silence. BP begins to tap on his leg. Nerves? "I can't tell you." He admits. "Not here."   
  
Your eyes widen, a grin forming on your face. "So this  _is_ about-"  
  
The door creaks open slowly, interrupting you. A nurse appears through the door. "Oh, good you're awake!" She smiles brightly as she walks over to your side and begins to perform some seemingly routine inspections. But really, you're no doctor. She could be trying to insert an alien parasite into you and you'd have no idea. The idea makes you giggle.   
  
"How are you feeling?" You give a big thumbs up, taking the last sip of water. "Do you know where you are?" You nod. "Who you are?" Another nod. "When it is?" You pause. Maybe? How long have you been out? The nurse chuckles at your worried face. "Don't worry about that, you're doing wonderfully. I'll let the officers know." _Officers?_  
  
Two uniformed police officers walk into the room. You blink up at them, clutching the paper cup in your hand a little harder. BP reaches over and plucks it from your grasp. You offer no resistance. "Hello Ms _____. We need to talk to you about the event that led to this." She opens her notepad and skims it for a moment. "Your monster here has given us some information already. He says he found you in this condition, but we need to know the absolute truth."  _Your_ monster? Ugh.  
  
Wait. "W-wait." You hold up a hand. "You don't think BP did this do you?" Oooh shit that opens a whole lot of other problems.  
  
The talkative officer smiles kindly. "No ma'am. Its well documented that monsters cannot physically harm their owners." You hold a hand to your chest in relief, feeling your attention slip now. "That is not a concern for us. We just need to find out who did." Her hair looked pretty. You watch a few strands move as she spoke. Why was your hair not that pretty? "So, can you take it from the top?"  
  
Focus. Yes. "Uh, yea, sure. I was working at the diner and it was a normal day until this-this  _asshole_ decides to harass BP." You frown at the memory, foggy head filling with anger. Your eyes begin to burn. Tears? Ah, shit. Not in front of the officers. No.   
  
“Harass? What kind of harassment?” They prompt.  
  
"Uh, speaking. What the word? He kept trying to tell BP what to do which was  _not_ gonna fly with me I'll tell ya." You start to stroke the furry paw beside you. It doesn't move away. Yaaay."So we- I mean not really me but Heisenberg. He's the chef. Oh did you question him already?" The officer nods with a smile. _Why_ is her hair so pretty? "Okay then. Um we-I mean he-we-whatever. The asshole was kicked out and I went outside for fresh air. Then..." The paw you're stroking stiffens. You blink for a few moments. Why is he doing that? Your mind struggles to piece together the information. It can't. But BP is stressed about this question. You frown slightly. That's not good. Lie. Lie now.   
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
"Uh, yea, I mean. Then I woke up here."   
  
"You don't remember anything?" Oh, its officer stoic speaking for once. Haha. Thats funny. _Nice one me._    
  
"Nope!" You give a big smile. BP's paw unclenches, relaxing again into your petting. The officers look upset, writing something in their notepads.  
  
"And how long have you had your monster for?" She asks. Oh no. This is not good. Bad line of questioning. What if they ask for his papers? Which you  _don't have._ They'll find out everything is fake. BP would be taken away. You'd go to jail.  _Oh no. You can't go to jail._  
  
"WAIT!" That was probably a little too loud. It hurts your head. You hold out a hand dramatically. "I remember something!" BP stiffens beside you again, and the pretty officer raises her pretty eyebrows. "Uh yea. The person that attacked me. He was wearing a bl- I mean a red hoodie." _Good job me. Best lie yet._   _There should be an award._   "He looked just like the man that robbed us a while ago. I think, uh, maybe they were coming back. Casing the joint? A stick up? You know?" Why did you use old movie slang?  
  
Officer Stoic nods and pretty one smiles. "Ah, thats very useful indeed!" She begins to write down the notes and has you explain all the characteristics you can remember. You try to explain what the robbery man looked like but you keep getting distracted. You keep losing focus. Eventually the nurse steps in and explains that you need more rest. You want to complain, because  _obviously_ your fine, but the officers give you a smile and leave. The nurse checks on you for a few more minutes before leaving as well. The room falls into silence.   
  
"Wow." You lay back roughly, raising your hands up. "That there's a lot for a girl to wake up to." You notice a specific bruise on your arm. Purple. Kinda pretty. Huh.   
  
“Thank you.” His voice is small. You look to the left, at his face. His eyes are wide, ears twitching. It takes you an unreasonably long time to realize what he is talking about. You give him a thumbs up and a big smile, which becomes a yawn a moment later.   
  
“It’s nothing.”  
  
“It really _is_ something.” He insists. “ I promise, I’ll tell you what I can once you get out. Okay?”  
  
Giving him another thumbs up, you go to turn on your side. Right, you can’t. “Sounds good, my man. Lets talk later.” You fall asleep instantly after.   
  
————  
  
**Beep. Beep. Beep.**  
  
You wake up easier this time. Your eyes open. It's dark, inside and outside the window. Your head still feels foggy. Why are you awake? Ugh. You stretch your arms, ignoring the IV pull, and try to settle back into sleep. You close your eyes slowly. You freeze. Your eyes snap open. A figure- a  _skeleton_ \- in a blue hood is standing at the foot of your bed. You can't breath. Is this a dream?  
  
"you think i'm dreamy?" He chuckles. Its deep and harsh, unkind. "and yes, you said that out loud." You let out a panicked breath as fear coils up in your chest. You look around frantically.  _Where is BP? Where is anyone?_  
  
"the bald one brought him out for food." You stare at the skeleton with your mouth wide open. Did you - "no, you didn't say  _that_ out loud. you're just really easy to read kid." That does nothing to help your fear. Your breath comes out quicker. The beeping on the machine speeds up. The skeleton begins to walk along the side of the bed. You flinch back in fear. He chuckles again and sits in the chair that BP had been in. For a long moment, you both stare at each other.   
  
It must be the drugs. There's no reason that fear should leave this fast. And it doesn't, not really, it's still _there_. But as you stare at him your focus leaves you. You start to wonder about the black voids of his eyes, how he can  _smile_ without skin. Or lips. Then you picture lips on the skeleton. You blink rapidly, unsure how to feel.  
  
Suddenly the skeleton leans forward, placing his hands on the side of your bed. “so whats your game?” Oh, yup, theres the fear again.   
  
“G-game?” You squeak. He growls.   
  
“yes.” He speaks slowly now, as if you’re a child. “what do you hope to get from helping a monster?” What do you hope to get? What?  
  
“Uh, nothing?” You ask, confused. “I don’t want anything.”  
  
“and thats it, huh?”  
  
“Yes?” You gulp.  
  
“stop lying to me!” He demands, you feel a few tears slide down your cheeks. What does this monster want from you?!  
  
“I-I’m not!” You raise up both hands in a placating manner. “I swear!”  
  
“humans don’t do anything out of the ‘kindness’ of their hearts.” He growls. “fame, money, excitement, adventure…they’re all after something for themselves.” You stare at him helplessly. What are you meant to say to that? Whats the right answer? You look away from those dark eye sockets.  
  
“You-You’re not wrong.” You start after a few moments. "Humans are horrible. We actively kill members of our own species for stupid as, as fuck, reasons. And we enslaved an entire race of people." You are not thinking before you speak, the words tumbling out of your mouth quickly. "I don't wa-want anything from BP or any other monster. Maybe a friend, maybe some smiles or laughs. Nothing somebody isn't willing to give." There's a silence after your little spiel. Oh shit. You fucked up didn't you? Is this how you die? You take a deep breath in and look back to the skeleton.  
  
He’s gone.  
  
It takes you a long time to fall back to sleep, but eventually the drugs pull you under. 

————  
  
The next morning you don't remember your nightly encounter right away. BP is at your side again, curled up in the chair and snoring lightly. You smile  at him, watching him like a creep for a few moments. The nurse pops in to add some medication to your IV. You almost dread it, knowing the fog it will bring. But the pain stops you from complaining. You ask her, in a whisper, what exactly is wrong with you. She seems shocked for a moment.  
  
"Oh, dear." She mumbles to herself. "I guess you don't remember." Oh, she's told you before? "Your leg is broken, and you have a fractured femur. You have bruises throughout your body, especially around your neck. You're lucky dear. You had some internal bleeding that sent you straight to the operating room. Dr. O'Brian fixed you up perfectly, although you'll have a pretty crazy scar on your right side. Your injuries are rather strange tho..."  
  
You just smile, not wanting to continue that line of thought. Your hand goes towards the right side of your abdomen, feeling a line of stitches. You cringe. The nurse leaves, handing you a remote. Theres a TV. Has it always been there? A quick look at BP shows that he is still asleep. You turn it on, leaving it muted with subtitles. It takes a while to find something even slightly interesting to watch.   
  
You watch the beginning part of Corpse Groom. But the musical number, with all the skeletons, sends chills up your spine. You rather suddenly recall the previous nights events. Was it a dream? Maybe. But if it wasn't... _oh god_. You switch channels immediately, finding a second best option. With a sigh, you lean into the pillows and wish for popcorn.  
  
"So, he's descended from spiders?" You startle harshly, turning your head around and wincing. Damn, you keep forgetting all the bruises. BP is awake, staring at the screen. "Sorry, woke up a few minutes ago."  
  
“Warn me next time.” You let out a relieved laugh. “Nah, he got bit from a radioactive spider. Now he has all the spider superpowers!”  
  
“I know someone who would like that.” He whispers. “Anything to do with spiders makes her day.”  
  
“Huh.” You mutter. “What a weird lady.” He chuckles.  
  
“You have no idea little buddy.”  
  
You've made it too the ending scene when Luke bursts in, face full of concern. He immediately pops over to your side with a million questions. How are you? Are you hurt? What do you remember? How many fingers do you see? More. You calm him down with a few 'I'm fine' and 'shut up' s.  
  
"I've been waiting for visiting hours in the lobby." He says angrily. "I wasn't allowed in since I'm not family." You frown at that. Luke's as close to family as you've got.   
  
“Wait, why was BP allowed in then?” You between them in confusion.  
  
“Honestly? People in the waiting room were pretty freaked out by him even being there.” Luke sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Also, since you can't sign off on him leaving with someone, he's stuck here." You look at BP apologetically. He just shrugs. "Eventually they decided to let him in. Two birds with one stone and all that. We can sneak him out at night though!" Oh, what the skeleton had said. You frown. So, not a dream then. Luke's phone begins to ring. He sighs and apologizes before walking out into the hallway. You hear him pick up the phone as the door closes.   
  
"Yea, she's awake..."  You wonder who he's talking to.  
  
There's a silence in Luke's disappearance. Honestly, you were not surprised that BP wasn't there when the skeleton was. He probably took the first chance to escape the hospital. You would have. You realize then, that this is the golden opportunity to mention the skeletons visit to BP. Maybe the only opportunity. But, something holds you back. That skeleton was strong, angry and violent. You knew BP would try to protect you, but what if that got him hurt?  
  
You don't mention anything.   
  
"So, want to watch the next superhero movie?" You ask. BP nods, happily.   
  
That night, the skeleton returns.   
  
You're brought into consciousness by an unexpected noise. Groaning, you roll your shoulders lightly and open your eyes. Dark. It takes a second for you to acclimate. You look over to the noise and stiffen. He's sitting in BP's chair, eating your leftover dinner. You stare at him for a few moments before he realizes you are awake. His eyesights snap to you before disappearing.  The black voids send familiar chills down your spine.   
  
Fear.  
  
You realize that it's in your best interest to be kind to this monster.   
  
“Y-you can have it.” You say. He looks at you, tilting his head slightly. Then he takes another bite of your leftover pudding. You say nothing and just watch as he continues to eat.  Eventually the drugs pull you back into sleep.  
  
The night after, he is mostly through the meal when you wake up. He notices that you are awake pretty quickly, but does not pause. His eyes stay on you, challenging. Unable to do anything else, you stare right back. Where is his food going? Does he have a stomach? You yawn, already feeling the fog begin to pull you back under.   
  
“ 'm not sorry.” His words are gruff.  
  
“No.” You mutter, feeling your eyelids flutter close. “No I don’t suppose you are.”  
  
This weird tradition continues for the last night of your hospital stay, except your dosage has changed slightly. Your head feels more clear when you wake up then it has for a while. The food is gone when you awake, so the two of you stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. You reach your hand out to the other side. He freezes and you can feel the air crackle around you. Dangerous.  
  
A warning.  
  
Your hand grabs the remote on the other side table and you lean back into your pillows. You say nothing and turn on the television. Luckily, theres a run of School of Punk on. You smile and turn up the volume. Its only the beginning of the movie, when Jack White's character is introduced. You yawn lightly, bringing a hand to your mouth.  The air crackles angrily for a few more minutes before beginning to fade into a hum.   
  
Its half way through the movie when you finally get the gut to glance away from your companion. He's still there, eyes on the television intently. You quickly take in his appearance. If he wasn't a skeleton, you'd say he looks tired. Theres dark rings around his eyes, and he looks...dirty. Unkept. But, who knows. Maybe skeletons are _meant_ to look like that. His eye lights flutter down to you and begin to fade as soon as he notices you looking at him. You immediately look back at the movie. Somewhere before the band wins the contest you fall asleep.   
  
  
————  
  
Finally, you are about to leave. Hospitals are never a great environment, and you cannot wait to be home. Unfortunately, getting home is harder than you had hoped. BP helps you get into the wheelchair. It sucks, relying on others to move. The nurse reminds you to avoid any type of standing or movement for a while. You smile at her and nod. She's told you all this information many times before. BP is happy to push your wheelchair down the halls, although it makes you feel a little weird.  
  
The fresh September air feels amazing. Luke helps you into his car while BP folds up the wheelchair. The boys slide into the car and turn on the music. The drive back into town is filled with heavy metal. You're not complaining.  
  
After saying a quick goodbye to Luke, you wheel yourself into the apartment building. Using the elevators for the first time in 3 years feels weird, and you tap impatiently at the metal when you have to wait for it. BP chuckles at the sight, and you stick out your tung at him. Eventually you two make it into the actual apartment. BP closes up behind you, locking the door. You take a deep breath and smile. Home.   
  
Taking off your hat, scarf and one boot, you throw them into the corner. You wheel yourself to the couch and use your good leg to shimmy yourself into a position on it.  
  
"I don't think your supposed to do that." BP mutters, neatly taking off his scarf and boots. He picks up yours too after a moment.  
  
"Don't care!" You raise your arms up, stretching with a big smile. "I missed this so much."  He chuckles in response and moves to the kitchen.  
  
A moment later he returns with two glasses of soda and an ego. You giggle slightly. He'd wanted to try them since watching Strangest Things, although it turns out he didn't like them. You've been slowly eating them for a few weeks now. You give him a big smile and 'thank you' in return and pat the couch beside you. He plops down. You both take a long sip of the soda. He pulls out a cigarette and lights it, laying back with a satisfied sigh.   
  
"So..." You prompt, chowing down into the ego."I think you promised me some answers. I didn't forget!"  
  
He pauses, fiddling with the ring of his cup. "I didn't think you would.” He takes a deep breath in, turning to face you completely. "Listen, this information is..." He pauses, arm waving slightly. He looks frustrated, as if he can't find the right word. "sensitive. It's beyond just you or me. I can't tell you to much about it. Lots of it isn't even  _my_ information to tell. But, I can tell you something. You deserve that after all...this." He gestures at your leg. You frown, furrowing your brow.   
  
“Who’s information is it?” You inquire, going to take another sip of the soda.  
  
“mine.”  
  
You scream, flail and throw soda everywhere. BP follows suit, falling off the couch in panic. You tilt your chin up to look behind you.  
  
There’s a skeleton in a blue hood with dark eyes and a huge grin standing there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY BEAUTIES (▰˘◡˘▰)
> 
> 1400 hits AHH <3 I love you guys so much! Thank you!
> 
> Finally we have some Sans/Reader interaction. Although I wouldn't exactly say its *good* interaction lol. He has his own reasons though ;)
> 
> -J♡


	10. The Pineapple Pizza

Your entire body freezes at the sight of the skeleton. Static fills your mind and crackles in the air around you.  
  
You blink slowly, and suddenly red fur blocks your vision. BP’s sweater. He’s between you and the skeleton, ears back and tail swishing. There’s a green glow around him. The air gets dryer.  
  
“The fuck are you doing here Sans?” Sans? Do they know each other? Bp has his face close to the skeleton-Sans?- with ears back. The skeleton doesn’t flinch.  
  
“it’s rude to talk about someone behind their back.” Ah, well wasn’t that a fair point.  
  
BP growls angrily.“Not what I meant you f-“  
  
“It’s okay, BP.” You interrupt, placing a hand on his arm -away from the magic. “He’s already here, maybe he can add something?” No need to anger the terrifying skeleton. Both monsters look down at you with the same expression on their face: confusion.  
  
Sans snaps out of it quicker, and turns to walk towards thew all. He leans against it, hands in his pocket. BP growls lightly and goes back to sit beside you. His magic fizzles out. For a long moment the monsters stare at each other.  
  
“Alright, so…?” You clap your hands together and both sets of eyes (and sockets?) turn towards you. “Carry on then.”  
  
“So, it’s not exactly an accident that two monsters suddenly show up here.” BP starts. The skeletons eyes widen and he pushes off from the wall. “No, Sans, I’m not going to tell her.” Sans grumbles and leans back. “I want to, little buddy, but this is bigger than just one part. Than you or me or even him.” He looks at you with big green eyes and you nod. It’s okay. “So, when I went missing all those months ago it must have caused a bit of a panic.”  
  
You raise your hand to your mouth. “Oh.” Well shit. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have taken you somewhere if it was that important.”  
  
“Not going to lie to you little buddy, I was tired.” He sighs. “Tired of living beside a dumpster and scrounging for my next meal. I took the out. Didn’t think it would last as long as it did though. Anyways back on track…” BP looks to Sans expectantly. The skeleton just stares back. BP sighs and continues. “So, I’m _guessing_  that Sans was checking out the diner when he saw me and the collar. I’m still surprised he attacked though.”  
  
“hey, she attacked me.”  
  
“Oh.” You mutter again. “I guess, I guess I did.” You feel a bit of guilt, but push it away. He wasn’t the one in the damned cast! Still… “I _am_ sorry about that.” The skeleton looks at you in surprise. “I thought-we were robbed a few weeks ago. I was held at gunpoint by two men. One of them looked a lot like you. With the hood and everything.” Theres an awkward silence for a few moments. The crackling air that always came with the skeleton seemed to decrease a little.  
  
Sans pushes off from the wall. “whatever”. A blink and he’s gone. You stare at the space he had been in.  
  
“Yea, he does that.” BP sighs, leaning back into the couch. “Skeletons man."  
  
“Theres more than one?”  
  
“Yea.” He mutters. “The other one’s okay though.” He says nothing more and you don’t push. You’re already trying to wrap your head around new information. Suddenly he turns to you. “Game of Swords?”  
  
You smile. “Game of Swords.”  
  
That night you lay in bed, finally able to process the information given to you. Something big, a resistance? If that’s the case, why from here? And why with only two monsters? You’re missing some important information. A big part of you believes that BP would have given you more if Sans hadn’t been there. Sighing, you burrow further under the covers and think about that frustrating skeleton. You dream of your high school anatomy class.  
  
The next week you and BP lounge around the house. He’s ridiculously helpful when you need to do anything, and stops you from pushing yourself too hard. You always roll your eyes at him but don’t complain. It’s nice, really, to have someone caring for you. It’s not a familiar feeling.A few days in, you get a call from the doctor who gives you the go-ahead to switch to crutches. You yell to BP for a moment, before your bruised neck gives you pain. He seems just as happy as you at the news.After a week, BP begins to get restless. It takes one more day before he asks.  
  
“Hey, so, that thing I told you before?” His eyes glance towards where Sans had been standing. “I kinda need to get back to the diner soon…”  
  
You frown for a second and pick up your phone.  
  
**[to Luke]** : Hey, BP still wants to work. That cool?  
  
The response is quick.  
  
**[from Luke]:** Yes! I can pick him up tomorrow!  
  
You relay the message to BP, who looks relieved. He spends the rest of the day in slightly better spirits, and makes dinner. Its a stir-fry recipe he found online, delicious.  
  
The next day BP is gone when you wake up. You sigh and stretch the best you can. After taking your meds, you pull yourself onto your crutches and go to the bathroom. BP had made a stack of plastic bags and tape for whenever you'd need it. God bless that monster. You start a hot bath, undress and put on the bag, taping it down. The bath was perfect for your aching muscles, and you feel a thousand times better getting out. You wrap the towel around yourself, throw clothes in the hamper and wheel yourself out. Instead of to the bedroom, you go out to the living room and pull yourself onto the couch. Hey, no-one was home to judge you for being in a towel.  
  
You shuffle yourself under the large throw on the couch. You turn on the TV to some crappy day-time gameshow and watch it aimlessly for a few episodes. This was more fun when you were a kid. With a sigh, you grab your laptop and go on social media.  
  
For just a moment, the air crackles around you and your hair stands on end. Then its over. “What is it you want now?” You look up and around for where the skeleton must be. He’s standing in front the tv, staring at it. “My answer hasn’t changed.” Oh, you still fear the monster. A lot. But the frustration has been growing for a while now. His eye lights turn to you, but he says nothing.  
  
Oh, the waiting game again. You’re not playing that.“If you’re going to be here, tell me why or at least step out of the way.” You watch as Sans takes a step sideways, unblocking your view of the tv. “Well, thank you then.” Forcing your attention back to your laptop, you do some nonsense searches to calm your nerves. Nothing works, and you can’t really focus on anything.  
  
After about five minutes, you look back up. He’s standing there, staring at you. “Oh my god, please stop.” You beg. He suddenly shifts on his feet. Uncomfortable? At least you’re not the only one. “If you’re going to stay here and watch me, sit down or something.” You gesture angrily at the other side of the couch. Maybe that’ll force him to leave.To your surprise, he does move but towards the couch. He mechanically sits down as far away as he can. His eyes shift to you. You nod, and look back at your laptop.  
  
_What. the. FUCK. is .happening. here!!!_ You try to message Debbie, but have to delete it due to typos. Him just being here is really stressing you out. But nothing happens. There is silence on his side of the couch. If you didn’t know better. , you would think you were alone. After fiddling around on the laptop for a few more minutes your stomach growls. Well then. For just moment, you contemplate what to do. _Ah, fuck it._  
  
“Hey, Sans.” You look up. He jumps, looking at you with no eye lights again. You sigh. “I’m going to order pizza. Do you want any?” He stares at you. “Thats a yes or no answer bud.”  
  
“why”  
  
“Huh? I can’t exactly cook an amazing meal like this.” You gesture towards your leg. He doesn’t look.  
  
“no.” He shakes his head. “why are you offering food to me?” Your mantra of ‘keep the skeleton happy’ plays in your head.  
  
“You always ate my food in the hospital.” You look away. “If you’re living anything like how BP was, you’re hungry.” For a long moment, there is no response.  
  
“pineapples.”  
  
“What?” You look at him confused. Then it hits you. “Oh, pineapples on pizza? Of course you’d be a weird one.” You roll your eyes and grab your phone, calling the closest place. You make sure to mention your predicament, and they agree to come straight to your door. Soon enough you’ve ordered two pizzas for delivery and are hanging up the phone. “It’ll be here in forty minutes, or it’s free!” It’s never happened for you, but you can only dream.  
  
“this the place that’s crust around the corner?”  
  
“Yea, actually!” You pause. _Wait a minute. Crust?_  “Was that a pun?” No response, but his eyesights shift to you. “Pizza puns are so cheesy, man.” Eh, not your best. A small, friendly grin grows on the skeletons face. How does he even do that?  
  
“Okay, what do you want to watch?” He seems lost, so you continue. “What genre do you like? Horror? Comedy? Romance?”  
  
“comedy and sci-fi i guess?”  
  
That makes you pause. Comedy and sci-fi? What could-oh. OH. “I’ve got just the show for you, dude.” You exit Notflix and fiddle around for a few moments, before getting it up. “Can you plug this into the TV? Theres a cord coming out that will plug right into here. I can’t get up to do it.” He nods and pushes off the couch, grabbing your laptop with one hand and walking over to the TV. You wonder how the hell this became your life as you watch a skeleton plug your laptop to your TV.  
  
The screen shows wiggly green letters. “rock and marty?” Sans mutters, sitting back down on the couch. It’s a lot more natural than before, although he stays as close to the arm as possible. He places the laptop on the coffee table.  
  
“Yup, its essentially about a normal boy and his genius grandfather and their hilarious sci-fi adventures around space!” His eye lights grow lightly as you mention space. “It’s a cartoon but still pretty dark at times. adult themes and all that.” He doesn’t protest, so you hit play.You find yourself watching him a bit along with the first episode, trying to see a reaction. He moves slightly at parts, and you wonder if his shaking shoulders means he is laughing. Do skeletons laugh? You frown as you think on the question, turning your eyes back to the television. The episode ends quickly after that.  
  
“can we watch another?”  
  
You smile widely. “You like it?” He seems taken aback for a moment, but nods. “Of course we can!” Sans grabs the laptop and fiddles with it, finding the next episode. The theme is half-way through when there is a knock on the door. “Coming!" You yell out. “Just one second!” You pull your crutches closer, using them to pull yourself up. You wince a little as they hit your armpits, nobody told you how much using crutches _hurt_. Slowly you hobble over to the door. Sans stares at the tv, never looking at you.  
  
You get the pizza and pay the delivery guy, closing the door and turning around to hobble back to the couch. Sans is a foot away. You startle backwards, almost falling. Sans looks shocked at your outburst.  
  
“uh, i can take the pizza." He mutters, looking away suddenly.  
  
“Thanks.” You let out a deep breath and shove the pizza into his arms. “Just, uh, please don’t do that again.” Without another look, you hobble back towards the couch.  
  
“sorry.” The quiet sound hits you as you sit back into the couch. Good thing, because you might have fallen otherwise in shock. Mr ‘i’m not sorry’ actually apologized? You hide your surprise expertly and just nod your head. He sits down beside you, placing the two pizzas on the table.  
  
You lean forward and open the first one. “Ugh, it’s your horror of a pizza.” You slide the box over to his side, and open yours. You grab a piece, hit play for the show and lean back into the couch. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the skeleton leaning back as well with a slice. The both of you are half-way through your pizzas and on episode four of Rock and Marty when the front door slams open suddenly.  
  
"Turn on the news little bu-“ BP stops mid sentence, looking at the scene in front of him. You stare at him, mouth around a slice. Slowly you take the bite and chew, swallowing. The two monsters seem frozen, staring at each other. BP's ears slowly go back towards his head, tail beginning to swish.  
  
“Hey BP!” You give him a big smile, trying to convey that everything is okay.  
  
“What is going on here?” His voice is suddenly calm. Calculated. His green eyes shift to you only for a second. Oh shit.  
  
“Rock and Marty marathon!” You beckon him over. “Join us.” As he looks back to you, his mouth opens in a question. You shake your head, mouthing ‘later’.  
  
He looks frustrated, narrowing his eyes briefly before sighing.“No, we need to see this.” He walks towards the coffee table and picks up the laptop, disconnecting the HDMI. He fiddles for a moment before placing it back on the table.  
  
Theres a news report running, the reporter standing in front of a burning building.“- at least 30 confirmed human deaths. We have no data on any monster deaths, although many were in there. Officers have not ruled out arson. ” The reporter stops, and the screen changes to a helicopter image of the building on fire.  
  
“fuck!” Sans stand up suddenly, the air crackling around him again. His eye lights are completely out. You blink and he’s gone.  
  
You stare at BP in confusion.“Uh, what just happened?” BP groans, plopping down in the spot Sans was just in.  
  
“That, little buddy, is the section of our operation in Chicago.” He growls. Holy shit. “All progress gone, the people gone, the monsters gone. All gone." He goes silent after that.  
  
A sharp fear grows in your chest, not for you but for your friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY SWEETS!
> 
> This is sorta rushed and I definitely could have dragged out a few scenes a bit longer, I'm sorry! I've been quite busy over the past few days :( BUT you guys finally got some Sans/Reader interaction so hopefully that makes up for it?
> 
> -J ♡


	11. The Pasta Dinner

For a long time the two of you were silent, watching the news report cycle over and over with no new information. Sans did not return.  
  
“Was it arson?” You whisper. BP nods his head, not looking away from the screen. His confirmation sends chills down your spine. Could something like this happen to BP? “Did you know anyone there?” There is no reply for a full minute. You begin to wonder if you’d fucked up. Then you hear the small intake of breath.  
  
“The underground was a pretty small place, little buddy.” He whispers back. His eyes are dark and half-lidded. “You get to know each other pretty well. But, I knew one person in there _well_.” He pauses. “Technically she was a good friend of a relative.”  
  
“A relative?”  
  
“Mhm.” He sighs. “A distant relative. Our grandparents were cousins. Anyways, the monster I know, her name is Bratty. She got really involved in everything after a situation with her friend disappearing. I didn’t expect her to be so smart.” He pauses again, looking lost in thought. “She really advanced the whole project along. I hope she wasn’t actually in the building.” Something about his defeated tone tells you that he believed she had been. You shuffle yourself on the couch closer to the monster.  
  
“Can you tell me something? Anything? I can do something to help!” His eyes open fully and he turns to look at you.  
  
“Take it from me little buddy, it’s not your problem.” He shakes his head. “You don’t need to get involved in all this shit. ”  
  
“But I already _am_ involved!” You gesture towards him and your leg. “This is my town, you're my friend. I can’t just…not help you. Especially now that I know people are trying to _kill_ you.”The monster closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in. He pushes himself off the couch fluidly into a standing position.  
  
“I’m going for a smoke.” And with that he’s gone.

After half an hour you give up waiting, he isn’t coming back while you’re still here. You grab your crutches and pull yourself up, hobbling into the bedroom. Forsaking a nighttime shower you sit on the side of your bed and peel off your clothes before shuffling under the covers. You’re finally getting these small movements down.  
  
You’re too full of energy to fall asleep right away. BP is holding back a ton of information from you. It’s his right, of course, but you feel like if you knew _something_  you’d be able to help. You spend hours staring at the ceiling trying to formulate ideas to either get information from your friend or help overall.  
  
Eventually you feel your eyes begin to close. Just before they completely close you notice something. The colour blue. Your eyes snap open.  
  
“Holy shit dude. This is getting to stalker territory.” You sit up and rub at your eyes, glaring at your door. “Don’t you have anywhere else to be?!”  
  
Oh.  
  
Its a hoodie. Not attached to any skeletons but merely hanging from the back of the door. _Your_  hoodie.  
  
Immediately you’re hit by embarrassment. With a groan you put your face in your hands, feeling yourself turn red. At least nobody was around to see that.You plop yourself back onto your pillow with a deep exhale of breath. _The fuck was that?_ You ask yourself over and over.  
  
It takes a few minutes for the embarrassment to fade again, and longer for sleep to find you. As your eyes finally begin to close a final thought pops into your mind. Where does he go? Does he have somewhere else to be?  
  
—————  
  
The next few weeks you see nothing of the sneaky skeleton. You’ve had a few visits to the doctor. He’s been pleased with your progress so far. BP is perpetually in a stressed mood and hogs the laptop for hours scrolling news websites. On the plus side, you’ve read through three of the books that have been gathering dust on your bookshelf. You soon get bored at the house, and join BP in heading to the diner in the morning.  
  
You’re not able to work as a waitress, so you do administrative work in the office. BP’s stress seems to have rubbed off on Heisenberg and Bluman at work, both of whom are exceptionally jumpy. You’re talking to Luke in the office on your break, sitting in the chair and munching on a rueben when BP bursts into the room. He looks terrified, eyes wide and ears back. Immediately you straighten up.  
  
“What happened?” Who did you need to beat up? A customer must have said _something_ terrible for this reaction.  
  
“I-I” He stutters for a moment. You’re shocked, having not seen him this flustered before. “Come here.” He turns to walk out. You grab your crutches and follow behind him quickly. He looks at you and whispers. “We have a situation.” You two turn the corner to face the dining section. Your eyes fall on the man sitting alone on a bar stool.  
  
  
“James?” You stop in your tracks, looking at the handsome MRC rep in front of you, for once wearing civilian clothing. He looks up to you and waves with a big smile. Shit. Fuck. Fucking shit. He pauses slightly when he see’s your crutches but continues to wave.You plaster on a huge smile and hobble over.  “I thought you guys were long gone.”  
  
“Nah.” The man smiles back. “Not without your number first.”  
  
_No fucking way._  
  
“Thats pretty bold of you.” You cross your arms in front of your body as best as you can. He blinks slowly.  
  
“Um I hope I’m not being presumptuous.” He begins, rubbing the back of his head. Shit. This man would totally have been your type. Too bad. “Our uh, project finished before I got the chance to ask you out. I figured that I’d come back and take a chance.”  The project, right. The monster enslaving project. That he was part of. There’s no way you’d say yes to this.  
  
“So…” He continues when you don’t respond. “I was wondering if you’re free tomorrow night to head to the bar with me? I’m a lightweight, so I probably won’t drink too much. Just figured it would be a nice place for conversation.” He gives you a big smile.  
  
You begin to shake your head but pause. A lightweight huh? Hmmm… An idea starts to float around your mind. Probably a bad idea. Get him drunk, get information. That could work, right? It might be your best opportunity.  
  
“Okay.” You nod, and shift into a more flirty stance. The reaction is immediate, as James begins to blush. Yea, you could do this. He’d be easy. “I’m free after my shift tomorrow. Pick me up at 6?”  
  
“Yea!” He seems ecstatic, but you don’t feel more than a tiny bit of guilt. You give one more smile and a wink. Turning around to head back to the office, you see a flash of blue out of the corner of your eye. Weary of past experiences, you slowly glance back.  
  
Oh.  
  
It’s actually him. Standing outside the window. You can’t see much through the lightly frosted glass, but there’s no way to mistake those large voids for eyes. His hand goes up and points sideways. Out back? You give a small nod and begin to walk. Well. Maybe this wont be too bad after all.  
  
You are barely out the backdoor when a flash of blue hits you and you fly backwards towards the brick wall. Your crutches hit the ground with a clang. It hurts, a lot. You’ll have more bruises by the morning. Yay. You cough lightly and stare ahead of you. It’s almost surprising how unsurprised you feel. Sans is there, arm out and covered in blue magic. You struggle slightly, more for show then in actual attempt. So much for pizza bonding time.  
  
“you’ve been busy, huh?” It’s obvious what he’s talking abut. You still pause to respond. “so i’ve got a question for ya, why the fuck were you getting all chummy with the fucking mrc?!”  
  
Ah, of course he saw _that_ part. For a brief, fear-filled moment you consider lying. But looking at the terrifying flashing eye in front of you, you just can’t. Your heart pounds loudly in your ears.  
  
“He asked me out.” You state simply.  
  
“and you said yes?!”  
  
“I want information Sans!” Your shaky fear-fuelled voice is the loudest it can get at the moment. “I don’t want what happened to Chicago to happen here. I want to help somehow and maybe, just maybe, I can get some information you need from him too.”  
  
“why?”  
  
“Oh my god.” You push your head back towards the wall. _Ouch!_ Shit. Mistake. “Sans, I’ve told you a bazillion times before. I want to help BP. He’s my friend. Even if he won’t tell me what is going on.”  
  
His eye suddenly stops flashing yellow. “he really hasn’t said anything?”  
  
“Nope.” You sigh. The glowing completely fades from his left eye. His eyes remain blank as he stares at you. You shiver under the severity of the look. Something feels like its crawling up your back. You feel your cheeks get warmer under the scrutiny.  
  
 He lets out a breath. The lights in his eyes return a bit. You feel the magic around you begin to decrease, gravity starting to resume its pull. “you’re something else, you know.” Your good foot suddenly hit the ground, and you lean back into the wall to prevent falling when the skeletons magic disappears entirely. Your crutches are lifted slightly so you can grab onto them. He still doesn’t look appeased as he looks ay you. “it’s too dangerous.”  
  
“I’m taking him to McLarens. Its the town bar.” You give a shaky. He nods. Huh, so he knows the place. “Apparently he’s a complete lightweight. So I figure I get him drunk, get him talking and ditch his ass before heading home with new info.”  
  
“or you’ll get drunk and mention BP or me or the operation.”  
  
You look the skeleton in the eye sockets. “Sans. I can hold my liquor.” He stares back at you for a long moment, before raising a hand to his face and groaning.  
  
“So wait.” Interrupt him. Stop this conversation. “Why were you here anyways?” You give him a look. “Spying on me?”  
  
“no.” He puts his hands up in front of him. “ya, kinda.” You cross your arms in front of you. It’s not like you can blame him for being suspicious but it doesn’t mean you like it. “but mostly I have to stay near the operation.”  
  
Huh. This is the most pleasant conversation you’ve had with him. Of course you have to ruin it.  
  
“I don’t believe that.” You frown. “I know homelessness when I see it.” It’s in the look of his face, the dirt on his clothes and on his bones. Immediately he flinches back, straightening up with a harsh look on his face. His eye lights go out completely.  
  
“it’s none of your business.” He all but growls out. You look at him for a moment before shrugging. It really might be none of your business. Doesn’t help your growing curiosity though.  
  
“when’s the date?” You roll your eyes at the topic change but allow it. He didn’t fight back at your attempt earlier. You want to keep this weird strained peace between you.  
  
“Tomorrow after my shift.”  
  
“i’m coming”  
  
You stare at him with wide eyes. “What.” Does he know what a date even is? How can he…?  
  
“i’ll be in mclarens, watching you both.” He away from you for the first time. “that way if you get too drunk i can stop you.”  
  
Well. You can’t really say anything to that either.  
  
—————  
  
The next day you pack a cute outfit into a bag and bring it with you to work. BP is nervous as normal, which makes you feel slightly better about not telling him. Only slightly. The poor monster didn’t need more on his plate right now. The shift goes by normally, although between Bluman and BP you will need to order entire sets of new plates. Today is BP’s day off, luckily, so you don’t have to make an excuse or avoid him. You are watching the clock like a hawk the entire time, dreading what is to come.  
  
Twenty minutes before, James shows up. He gives you a smile and wave- as you are talking to a regular- and sits in a booth nearby. You wave at him but do not talk much. Eventually time ticks to 6 o’clock and you’re punching out in the back. You give Luke a quick goodbye and head to the bathrooms to change.Your outfit is simple yet cute: a nice dress, tights, leather jacket and a boot on the foot not in a cast. It might not be a REAL date, but you still had to act the part. You head on out and meet James in the diner.  
  
“Ready to go?” He asks, holding out an arm. He pauses and looks at your crutches. You give a small shrug and just tell him to lead the way. You look back, but can’t see the skeleton. Is he already at the bar? James brings you up to a large blue Jeep. Huh. Unexpected. It’s nice.  
  
The drive to the bar is quick. James makes light conversation, and you have to stop yourself from smiling in earnest a few times. This stupid likeable asshole. You have to look away and remember him in the MRC uniform to regain your control.The bar is relatively empty as you walk in. The normal group of five is there, however, and you give a quick wave to Ted as he looks over. He smiles back at you.  
  
“Know them?” James asks in a weird voice. Jealousy? _Already?_  
  
“Yea, they’re kinda legendary at the bar.” You explain. “They’re always here.” He gives a small hum of acknowledgement and begins to head towards a booth. You follow him and sit down across. You are making smalltalk when the waiter comes over.  
  
“Hey!” She smiles at the both of you. “My name is Wendy and I’ll be taking care of y’all tonight! Can I get you anything to drink?"  
  
“Hmm…” You put a finger to your mouth in thought. “Maybe a vodka cran to start” She gives a nod and looks at your ‘date’.  
  
He smiles. “A beer please!”  
  
You give a fake gasp. “James, you need to have more than that.” You reach forward and grab his hand. “You took me to a bar for a reason after all.”  
  
“I don’t know about that.” You drag your hand away and put on an offended look.  
  
“So you expect me to drink all by myself?”  
  
“What? No!” His hands slide closer to you, eyes wide. Oh god he’s cute. Too bad he’s a MRC asshole.  
  
“Okay then.” You look at the waitress, who looks extremely amused. “He’ll have a triple vodka cran.”  
  
“A triple?!”  
  
“A punishment.” You give him a half lidded look. His face goes slightly red. “For trying to get out of this.” He says nothing. The waitress nods and heads towards the back.  
  
You let out a deep breath. Your acting skills had never been that great, but you’re ability to bullshit out of a situation is top notch. There was _no_ way this plan would work if he kept drinking beers. You look a your date. He is looking away, face red. Embarrassed? Well, that wouldn’t work.You give him an easy smile.  
  
“So, tell me about you.” He looks back at you with a more shaky smile, and nods.  
  
—————  
  
Where is Sans?  
  
You take a long sip of your drink. Its been a good half hour since the arrival. You’re on your second vodka cran and have convinced James to have a strong rum and coke. He seems to like the taste stronger than the other.James’ is definitely a lightweight. His face has a permanent flush and his words slur slightly. His eyes blink rapidly and he seems ridiculously comfortable. He’s drunk, but not enough yet.  
  
You expected Sans to be hear already. But the monster definitely hadn’t been here when you arrived and you’d kept an eye on the door. He didn't come in. Maybe he was just joking about coming? But no, he seemed too serious for that. “So, tell me about your work.” You try to slide the conversation back for the fifth time. He always seems to get out of it, seeming more annoyed every time. Still, you try. James brings his hand away from yours.  
  
“Naah, you don’ wanna hear about that.” He shakes his head.  
  
“Oh, I really do though.” You go to talk another sip of your drink. It moves slightly out of your grasp. Huh? You reach for it again. It moves just out of your reach. The fuck. The slight blue glow is what tips you off. James is on a rant about parking at his work, so you take a look around. There. A blue hoodie. Its pulled up, and there’s a scarf around the bottom half of his face.  
  
_Is he clutching a ketchup bottle?_  
  
You stick your tung out at him. He pulls down the scarf for a moment and mouthes ‘don’t get drunk’ to you. How did he do that without lips? You roll your eyes and mouth ‘obviously’ before taking your glass and having a pointed sip. You glance at the skeleton as you do. He looks annoyed.  
  
“So, what about that guy you were with? Mac? What’s he do then?” You prompt with a smile. He gives you a slow blink.  
  
“No!” His voice gets loud for a second, and you lean backwards. “Why are you so interested in my job? Huh?” He sounds both annoyed and confused.  
  
“Uh, sorry?” You put your hands up in a placating manner. “It’s something normal to want to know about someone you are on a date with.”  
  
“Yea, well…” He takes a deep sip of his drink. “Stop it. I won’t say anything about it.”  
  
No, you don’t think he will. **Fuck.**  
  
He mutters a quick ‘sorry for yelling’ and goes back to nursing his drink. For a long time the silence between you is awkward, uncomfortable. You tell him you need to go to the bathroom and grab your crutches. He just watches as you hobble away.  
  
You close the door to the bathroom behind you with a sigh. A flash of blue.  
  
“Sans!” You exclaim, jumping back. “This is the _girls_ bathroom.”  
  
“doesn’t matter, nobody is here.” He replies. “what happened there?”  
  
“I don’t think this is going to work.” You admit, taking a deep breath in. “He’s too determined not to say anything. It’s not like a regular job. Maybe he’s signed a contract or something?”  
  
“or something…” The skeleton echoes you for a moment. “ok, what are you going to do now?”  
  
“Fuck well I have to continue the date I guess?” You bring a hand to your head. “It’ll be too suspicious if I dip now but I don’t want him coming back.” You groan. There is a brief moment of silence.  
  
“make this the worst date possible then.” You look into his eyes. Genius. “then he won’t come back.”  
  
“That’s a plan I can get behind.” You give a big smile. Sans nods in response. “ Okay, so uh, I actually needed to use the bathroom.” You blink and he’s gone.  
  
When you return, James is done his drink. You sit down across from him unceremoniously.   
  
“I’m hungry.” You announce suddenly. “Let’s get food!” You flag down the waitress, who takes your order: classic spaghetti and meatballs. James turns down getting any food but asks for another rum and coke. The waitress informs him that this will be his last one. He doesn’t complain. You spend the next ten minutes interrupting, teasing and otherwise being unpleasant. He seems a bit annoyed by the time your food arrives. You thank the waitress kindly and immediately dig in.  
  
James’ face turns to repulsion quickly. You’re chewing with your mouth open, attempting to talk in between with no shame -hey, you’re a few drinks in yourself here. You offer him some a few times, but he refuses. “Uh, uh, sure, yea.“ Is all he responds to your questions, refusing to look anywhere near you. You need to up the intensity here.  
  
You raise your hand and ‘accidentally’ knock it into his drink, spilling it all over the table and onto him. He groans and pushes away. “Shit sorry.” You mutter through a mouthful of pasta. Doing this almost physically hurts, but you’re pulling out all you can think of at the moment. You stand up and grab a napkin, walking over to his side and begin to pat him down. He looks at you with wide eyes, before looking around the bar. People are staring.  
  
“Please stop.” He urges. “Use that to wipe your face.” You give him a fake confused look and head back to your side. You do not wipe your sauce-filled face. You think you hear a deep chuckle from where Sans had been sitting. You look towards the group of people that always are in the bar.  
  
“So, who do you think’s the hottest?”  
  
“Uh, what?”  
  
“Of the legendary five of course!”  
  
“Uh, I, don’t know?”  
  
“Oh come on!” You give him a big smile. “Ted is my top. The things I’d do to him are indecent I’ll tell ya.” In reality, the man’s actually kinda your type: funny and protective. “Want me to tell you?”  
  
“No thanks.” He looks down at his watch. Good. He wants out.  
  
“Hey Ted!" You yell out. “Come’re!” James looks shocked. You just smile at him. It takes moment for Ted to appear beside the table.  
  
“Hey!” He smirks. “What's up?”  
  
You giggle, but don’t respond. James’ eyes widen slightly, before narrowing. “Oh Ted, I need to ask you an important question.” Its flirty, and Ted looks a bit confused. You know he's dating someone.“Just wanted to ask you what your favourite whiskey.” He tells you, and you flirt at him for a few more minutes before sending him back to his table. Its very uncomfortable, but you know Ted will be alright once you tell him whats up.  
  
You let yourself go on for a few more minutes about ‘bangable men’, picking ones from movies and television shows. He gets more and more uncomfortable as you talk. You look down half way through your spiel. The spaghetti has moved. It’s inched its way from in front of you to the middle of the table. Hmm? What’s going on?  
  
The waitress appears again, checking on you. You order a full bottle of Ted’s favourite whiskey. She seems a bit concerned, but allows it when you say its for you only. James seems even more annoyed when the bottle appears.  
  
You’re saying what you’d love to do with your fifth of the bangable actors named Chris when James announces he’s going to the bathroom. He slams his hand down on the table, probably to stop you from talking. The spaghetti goes flying. Its quick and sudden, hitting James in the chest before sliding down to his lap. The man is covered in spaghetti. You bring a hand to your mouth, attempting to cover your laugh. James sits there in shock, staring down at his ruined white shirt. You burst out laughing, hitting the table lightly as you do. People turn and stare at you both from their tables.   
  
Theres no way James hit the side of the plate, it was too far away. You know what happened. Your drink starts to edge closer towards the middle, and you let out another stream of laughter. Your date puts the plate back on the table and stands up, rushing towards the bathroom without a word.You continue laughing, looking towards Sans. The monster is sitting there as normal, but his shoulders are shaking. Laughing too? You give him a quick thumbs up.  
  
Eventually you calm down and wait for your date to come back. But the waitress appears instead. “I’m sorry.” The waitress-Wendy- begins. “Your, uh, date has informed me that he needed to go home. He’s paid the bill and called a cab.” She looks uncomfortable, telling you that you’ve been ditched.  
  
Relief hits you quickly. You shrug and give her a smile. “That’s okay! I’ll head out now then!" She seems shocked at your response and just nods before leaving. You grab your napkin, dip it in your water and wipe your face. Ew, you'd felt so gross. You slide on your coat and scarf and head out.  
  
When you reach the outside you immediately begin to laugh. What the fuck just happened here? You almost cringe as you think about talking with your mouth open and all the things you said. Well, theres no WAY the man would come back for you now. Especially after ditching your ass.

“that could have gone worse.”  
  
“Holy SHIT Sans!” You startle harshly. “Stop doing that, you’re going to give me a stroke or something.” The skeleton just shrugs. The two of you stand there for a moment. There’s so many things you could say at the moment. “Let’s go to the park.”  
  
“why?”  
  
“Is that all you ever ask?” You hold up your bottle of whiskey with a smile, shaking it slightly. “I have booze and want to forget that this whole night happened.” Those eye lights stare at you for another long moment.  
  
“ok.”  
  
——————  
  
“Just drink, Skeletor.”  
  
“skelet-“  
  
“Drink!” He chuckles lightly and takes a deep sip.  
  
You give a quiet hoop and sit back. The two of you are on a bench in the park, crutches on the grass beside you.You think you can see a few children playing far away, but otherwise you are alone.  
  
“The spaghetti thing, that was genius.” You say. “The nail in the coffin.”  
  
“nail in the…” He trails off. “you humans are so dark.” You shrug. Not like it's a lie.  
  
You take the bottle from his hand and take deep swig yourself. After a deep exhale you look up a the stars.  
  
For a long time neither of you say a word. You pass the bottle back and forth until he stops giving it to you. Probably for the best, really. You were already a few drinks in when you left the bar.  
  
Letting out a deep yawn, you relax as far back into the bench as possible. Your eyes are heavy, mind foggy and comfortable. It’s weird, that you’re at all comfortable in the presence of this skeleton. He’s the reason you’re even _in_ crutches.  
  
Must be all the alcohol.  
  
“The stars are beautiful tonight.” You love the stars of small towns. Without the smog and pollution to hide them, they shine brightly every night.  
  
“i stopped looking.” You frown. Your eyes feel heavy.   
  
“When?”  
  
“five years ago.” You hum lightly in response. _That's so sad._    
  
The two of you lapse into silence. You fall asleep to fresh air and starlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO MY LOVELIES 
> 
> Sorry if any formatting is wrong! I had a surprising lack of time. This is actually one half of a large chapter I had planned, but there's no way I'd get the larger one out today. Expect the next one tomorrow or Friday!!
> 
> Thank you guys AGAIN for the amazing support <3 I appreciate it more than you could imagine! I love y'all <3
> 
> -J♡
> 
> Spoiler: This is the last chapter before everything *finally* hits off ;)


	12. The Burnt Coffee

“You could have got us _all_  in shit!”  
  
“I was being careful!”  
  
The three of you are currently standing in your living room. You'd been woken up by a loud voice. At first, you'd been confused about why you were still in your dress from last night. Then after you remembered how last night had gone, you'd been suspicious on how you got back to bed. Then your head had begun to hurt so you gave up thinking. You rummaged through your nightstand and dry-swallowed a pill, completely intention to get some water from the kitchen. Peeling yourself out of bed, you'd walked outside to a stand off.  
  
The two monsters were standing beside the couch, staring at each other. San's eyesights were as small as pinpricks, and BP's tail was puffed up. They had been arguing. Both heads turned to you quickly, and you put a hand up to pause his words. After grabbing some water from the kitchen, you'd walked back out into the living room and made a 'continue' motion with your hand. BP had immediately asked what the hell had happened. You told him, of course. And well, he's not exactly happy about it.   
  
“That was _so_ damn stupid!”  
  
“Hey!” You resent that. “Sans was there too!” You send the skeleton a brief apologetic look for throwing him under the bus. It HAD been your idea, and you’re taking him down with you. He gives you an unimpressed look back. Whoops.  
  
“yea.” Sans lets out a breath and puts his hands in his pockets. “i was watching out for her.”  
  
You blink a few times. “Wait, what?” Watching out _for_  you?  
  
“didya ever think that it could be a ploy to get answers out of _you_.” The skeleton raises an eyebrow bone. _What the fuck. How does he even do that?_    
  
“Answers out of me? Why?” It’s not like you even _know_  anything.  
  
“It looks suspicious for you to both be working at the diner and to ‘own’ a monster.” BP supplies after Sans stays quiet. “They were staking out the diner a few months ago for a reason after all.”  _Oh._  
  
“Wow. No I didn’t think of that at all.”  
  
BP groans and plops down onto the sofa beside you. “No. You never really think it through. You just _do_.” You frown a bit at the accusation. You’ve never got _that_  before. This isn’t like you. You’ve been so out of your depth, acting has been the only solution you could think of.  
  
“Okay well maybe if you told me _anything_  I’d be able to help out and not turn to these ideas!”  
  
“Ah, yes. “ BP gives you a deadpan look. “I really want to bring my friend into a dangerous operation where she could be hunted down and killed.” He pauses. “NOT.”  
  
You roll your eyes. He’s too dramatic. “Listen guys, I’m smarter and tougher than I look.” Sans snorts lightly. You ignore him. “I’m _going_  to take any chance I can see to help you.”  
  
“Not putting up a compelling case little buddy.”  
  
“Just hear me out.” You take in a deep breath. “You’re involved in some deep shit apparently. Stuff that could get you killed. I can’t just stand by and let that happen to you. You’re a good friend, and frankly a great roommate.”  
  
“I can just-“  
  
“Don’t you dare say you’ll move out.” You point a finger at him. He goes silent. “Why are you so determined to keep me away from this? You’re treating me like a freaking child!”  
  
For a long moment there is silence. Finally he speaks in a quiet voice. “It’s just that you…” He trails off for a second, looking away. His ears go down slightly. “ You remind me of someone.”  
  
“Well I’m not them.” You insist, crossing your arms. “And I for one am getting sick of this ‘overprotective’ thing you have going on. Your my friend, not my keeper. I understand if you’re keeping things from me because you don’t trust me, or because it’s dangerous for you guys if I know. But I don’t do this whole ‘I’ll protect you from everything’ schtick.”  
  
BP looks away guiltily, tail swishing back and forth on the floor. You feel a bit bad for causing it. Wait, no. It’s not your fault here.  
  
“Alright.” He sighs, putting his paw on his temples. “Okay. Sure. Fuck it. Let’s go all in here.” He looks towards Sans. “You cool with-“  
  
He stops mid sentence. You follow his gaze. Where the skeleton had been there is nothing. You're not even shocked anymore. But...  
.  
“When did he leave?”  
  
—————  
  
Later that day Luke picks you both up for your shifts at the diner. You’re bursting with nervous energy. You were going to finally get some answers. BP promised he'd tell you at work. Why is work so important? Hell if you know, but BP seems certain that work would be the best place. Its exciting, but a large part of you is still afraid.  
  
You text Debbie a bit on the way, trying to get your mind off your own situation. She’s been having issues trying to infiltrate the MRC from within. Apparently they're a highly suspicious group. That makes sense really, but Debbie refuses to give up. You slide your phone into your back pocket. Talking to Debbie always gave you a burst of bravery. She’s inside the MRC headquarters, in a much more precarious position than you'd ever be, and she isn't giving up. You take a deep breath in to calm your racing heart. You can do this. Luke pulls into the parking lot.  
  
Something is wrong.  
  
The area is empty, other than 3 black vans. Immediately the car goes silent, rising tension almost tangible. Luke pulls up to the front and stops the car right in front of the doors. “What the fuck.” He gets out immediately, rushing into the diner. It takes you a bit longer, due to your crutches.  
  
You and BP share a look before you walk in. _Shit._ The diner is filled with armed MRC reps. You immediately freeze, seeing BP in a similar state beside you.  
  
_What the fuck._  
  
**_What the FUCK._**  
  
A MRC rep turns towards you. Oh, it’s the dude. James’ partner. Mac? Was that his name?  
  
Mac smiles kindly at you and walks forward. “Ah, Miss Waitress.” He reaches out a hand. You shake it on autopilot. Your brain is on pause. “I’m so sorry about what happened to you.” He looks down at your crutches. “I wish I was here to stop it. But I think we’re closer to figuring out what did this.”  
  
“But…but I thought…” You struggle for a second to form words. “It was the robbers."  
  
Mac's smile widens. It sends shivers down your back. “Ah, yes. I read your official statement of course. But we at MRC don’t believe this to be the case. We believe you were targeted by the individuals working here after you showed up with your monster.” BP takes a step behind you as Macs eyes shift to him. You can’t blame him.  
  
“Why would they…”  
  
“As revenge, maybe?” Mac shrugs, seeming uninterested overall. “Or a plot to free your monster. We don’t know the details yet. Hopefully soon. But these two are known monster sympathizers, essentially monsters themselves. Turning their backs on their own kind.” Shit, this man is crazy.  
  
His words click with you suddenly. “Wait.” You put up a hand, stopping the mans racist(?) rant. “Who exactly do you think did this?”  
  
Mac opens his mouth to reply when yelling starts to erupt from the background. Luke. He’s not happy. The kitchen door swings open, revealing four MRC reps holding two people in a harsh grip. It's Heisenburg and Bluman. _Oh shit._ Luke is behind them, screaming jumbled words about legalities and unfair arrests. The MRC reps don’t seem to be paying any attention. Heisenberg and Bluman are limp in their grasp. Their eyes are closed. _Are they unconscious?_  
  
“Oh my god." You put a hand to your mouth.“Its shocking to hear that you’ve known such filth, huh?” Mac mutters. You don’t reply in any way, but your other hand gets warmer. A paw is covering It. BP. You take in a shaky breath. _Breathe, just breathe._ You can't.   
  
You watch, frozen in place, as the MRC reps drag your two friends out of the diner. Luke follows behind them, screaming. You’re unable to do anything but watch, frozen in your fear and shock. The door closes behind them with the little door chime sound echoing through the diner.   
  
Mac turns fully towards you. “Now, I need your monster to come with me.” BP's paw suddenly tightens over your hand. Your head snaps up.  
  
“No.” You whisper, the sound coming out warped. Clearing your throat, you try again. “I don’t give you permission to take him. Take me instead.” You’re standing your ground about this, they are **not**  taking BP too.  
  
Mac shakes his head with a frown.“No, no, no little miss.” Shivers down your back. “We just want to talk to him." You notice that he hasn’t once even looked at BP. It annoys you. “Since he was the one to find you, to alert for help and help your recovery we do not believe he had any direct influence on your attack. However, any knowledge may be useful.”  
  
Would it be suspicious to say no? A part of you doesn’t care. You don't want BP alone with this man. But you also don’t want BP to be taken like Heisenburg and Bluman. You think of the men limp in the Reps' arms. No, you can’t let that happen. “Alright.” You concede. You squeeze BP’s paw slightly before letting go.  
  
Mac looks at you for a moment. “You need to order him to tell me the complete truth and nothing but. These little weasels are compulsive liars.”  
  
“Oh.” You turn to BP awkwardly, giving him a look you hope is subtly apologetic. His ears are down, and he’s looking back at you with concerned eyes. “I order you to tell him nothing but the complete truth." Your eyes glance briefly to the collar on his neck.  
  
Mac nods quickly, and turns around. “We’ll be about half an hour. Monster, follow me.” BP gives you one last worried look before following a few steps behind him, tail dragging on the ground. You watch him go, feeling your eyes grow warm and your heart drop in your chest. Your mind is running on just profanities.  
  
You need air.  
  
**Now.**  
  
Your feet are loud on the tiled floor as you rush towards the back exit. The door opens with a loud bang and fresh air hits your face. You stand still for a moment, but when the door closes with a click behind you the tears escape. Crouching down, you curl into yourself on the pavement.  
  
“What do I do?!” You rub uselessly at your eyes. “I don’t- I don’t know what to do.” All you hear is your own broken sobs and laboured breath.  
  
Theres a sudden bang from the dumpster. You fall backwards, startled. Looking up you see nothing. Nobody is there. But there is a dent in the dumpster, and a large rock where one hadn’t been before. _How did…_  
  
“Sans?” You whisper, looking around. “Sans are you here? What do I do?!”  
  
There is no response. Maybe he really isn’t here? No. That makes no sense. He must be around. You look behind the dumpster, nothing. Are you going crazy??You turn back to look around when something catches your attention the corner of your eye. Beside the huge dent is a word, scratched into the surface: FOREST.  
  
That hadn't been there before. It's weird, not like graffiti. _Why would- oh. OH_. You turn around wildly, almost tripping in your haste. The forest is only a bit aways. With one last look at the carved words, you head towards the forest. Your approach is slow, and you’re constantly on the lookout for stray MRC reps. However, they all seem to be inside the diner and nobody is around to stop you.  You break the tree line and are immersed in shadows.  
  
“whats happening in there?!” Sans appears beside you instantly. He looks a panicked mess, more than usual. There Is blue…sweat? on his skull. For a brief moment you stare at him, confused at the idea of a skeleton sweating, before your mind snaps back to important issues.  
  
“Heisenburg and Bluman are under MRC arrest. They’re being taken away. Theres a Rep talking to BP right now.” The skeleton groans, leaning back into the tree. “I need to be back when BP comes out.”  
  
“they’ll probably talk to you next.”  
  
“Shit.” You reply, running a hand through your hair. “What do I say? What do I do? I don't want to fuck this up!”  
  
“you say the truth, mostly. you don’t know anything.” He looks at you, seeming more present than you’ve ever seen him. “but most important, you don’t know me.” His eye lights flicker as he says this, but don’t completely go out. Its still terrifying.  
  
“Of course.” Maybe its a good thing BP hadn’t gotten around to telling you more. “Isn’t there anything I can say to help?”  
  
Sans shakes his head. “no, you can’t bring too much attention to yourself right now. if they check for BP's papers we’re done for.” He pauses. “i’m assuming you never got any.”  
  
“No.” You raise a hand to your face. “Never thought to get some fakes.” Shit, you should have thought about this more. Instead you spent the last few months playing house. A dark feeling creeps up in your chest.  
  
“ok so just don’t bring attention to yourself and BP.” He pauses for a moment, seeming in thought. “try to keep attention off of Luke as well.”  
  
You blink a few times. “Wait. Why?” The skeleton just stares at you. “Oh. Luke has something to do with this?” No way. Luke, the man you’ve known and trusted for five years now, is involved in a secret monster rebellion? It seems too ridiculous to be real.  
  
Sans looks at you with scrutinizing eye lights for what feels like ten minutes. You fiddle a bit with your hands and want to look away. It’s very uncomfortable, but you manage to hold his gaze.  
  
“yes.”  
  
You don't know why, but you feel as if you've won something important.  
  
—————  
  
You pass a few MRC reps on your way back into the diner. They’re chatting amongst themselves, laughing and drinking coffee. It’s the diners coffee. The thought makes you sick. These people make you sick. You briefly notice a van is gone. It probably took Heisenburg and Bluman. Where though? The police station?  
  
The familiar chime of the door echoes around you as you push through. Warmth envelops you as soon as you hobble into the diner. Its Luke. His embrace is warm and protective, as always, and you want to just melt into it. He smells of firewood and...baileys? He's been drinking. You can't blame him.   
  
“Thank god you’re okay. I didn't know where you were. Shit.” He mumbles into your hair. The two of you stand like this for a moment before pulling away slightly.   
  
“I'm okay.” You whisper, looking up at him. “The others?”  What does he know?  
  
Luke shakes his head, letting out a long frustrated breath. “Lane was sent home. The poor girls in tears. If I see the rep that did that one more time I'll..." He fades off, looking into the distance. "Heisenburg and Bluman are gone. Taken to New York.” You furrow your brows. _Thats so far._ “Its the nearest MRC station.”  
  
He then takes a step away “Here, come sit down.” He leads you towards a booth.  
  
You faintly realize its the one you had sat in when you first introduced BP to Luke. You'd been so scared that day. Things could have gone so wrong. You look around at the remaining MRC reps in the diner. It seems that things went wrong anyways. You sit opposite Luke in the booth. Theres a huge mug of coffee- definitely Luke's own mug- filled to the brim. He slides it towards you.  
  
You take a sip. It's burnt. You frown at Luke, but he is looking away. He never burns coffee, having too much pride in his product. You take another sip, tasting the alcohol this time. Fuck it. This coffee is definitely not for taste. You take a few more sips before passing it back to him. He immediately takes a large sip, pausing a moment before sliding it towards you. The two of you drink the alcoholic coffee in silence for a long time. Neither of you speak, both too lost in thought.   
  
Suddenly the creaky office door opens. You turn immediately around, heart racing again. BP. Is BP okay? Mac appears first, turning the corner and giving you a smile. BP is a few steps behind him. His ears are still down and he looks shaken, but physically unharmed. A sharp feeling of relief flows through you, and you let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding. BP is okay. The monster immediately walks towards you, sitting down beside Luke. “You okay?” You mouth. He nods, rubbing one arm with his paw. Oh thank god.   
  
“Now it’s your turn little waitress.” Mac places a hand on your shoulder and you freeze. Across from you, Luke eyes get harder and BP’s claws appear. You take in a deep breath and nod. Sliding out of the booth, you follow a quiet Mac Into the back office.  
  
The office is set up differently, more like an interrogation room. The desk has been moved from against the wall to the middle, with everything cleared off of it and a chair on either side. Mac moves quickly to sit in the one closest to the door. He’s blocking the exit. You sit in the one opposite to Mac, and the two of you fall into an awkward- at least for you- silence. Then he shifts, resting his head on his hands and giving you a too-wide smile.   
  
“Start from the beginning.” He whispers, eyes sharp. "And don't leave anything out."  
  
—————  
  
Only ten minutes later you are being led out of the room. Mac has his hand on the small of your back. You don’t like that. But you say nothing and just wish for it to end.  
  
The interrogation had gone smoothly. You fell back on previous stories and excuses you’d made to explain the attack. He hadn’t asked too much about BP, which was a relief. Honestly, he seemed rather bored for most of it.  
  
Both Luke and BP snap to attention as you walked in. You give them both an awkward smile, trying to reassure them that you were okay. You slide back into the booth silently, and feel BP’s tail hit your leg from across the table.  
  
“Alright folks.” Mac seems chipper again. You grit your teeth together. How can a man act so happy in a situation like this? “You are able to leave. We will have our Reps drive you home. Now -“  
  
“I drove everyone here.” Luke mentions. Mac looks angry at being interrupted. “ I can drive everyone back."  
  
“Mr Danes, as I was _about_  to say, you are still under suspicion.” Mac smiles widely. “You are on house arrest for the remainder of the week. We will have follow up questions.”  
  
“B-but what about the diner?” Luke stumbles on his word.   
  
“Closed.” The only response is cold and hard. Mac turns to you. “You are not currently on house arrest, but I suggest you stay away from anyone or place that could cause a…misunderstanding.” _What does that even mean?_ You nod, unsure of what else to do and not trusting your voice.  
  
You say goodbye to Luke with a hug, and follow another Rep towards his van. You slide Into the passenger seat with BP in the back. The Rep says nothing. He doesn’t need directions or a GPS to get to your apartment. Its terrifying, really.  
  
Neither you or BP say a word the entire time either, even walking up the stairs of your apartment. Eventually you close your door behind you. Silence. BP looks at you for a second, before looking around the apartment. It seems like he’s had the same thought as you.  
  
The apartment must be bugged.  
  
There’s no way it’s not. You’ve gotten off too easily. The two of you begin to walk about the apartment, looking in the ‘typical' places. You find nothing. Looking over at BP you shrug. He frowns, looking more intensely. The two of you spend easily half an hour searching the apartment.   
  
“Gotcha.” He’s holding up a wire. It looks like a normal wire but with a small black bulb at the end. He snaps the wiring in half quickly. “And we’re free.”  
  
“How do you know?” There could be more. This whole place could be bugged for all you knew.  
  
“I can hear the electricity." He points to his ears. “Its faint but I can always hear it. Sort of like a buzzing sound.” You hum quietly. That's ridiculously useful. You keep learning new things about your friend. You briefly wonder if you'll ever know all there is to know.   
  
BP drops the broken wire on the kitchen table and opens a counter drawer. Pulling out the tool kit he fumbles around a bit inside. He pulls out unfamiliar objects. When did you get those tools? What even ARE those?  
  
He brings the tools over to the table and begins to do…something with the wire and its electronics. He seems to know what he’s doing, whatever it is. You watch him for a few minutes before asking him what he’s doing. “Figuring out how it works.” He mutters. “So next time I see one I’ll be able to actually work with it. Might be able to reverse the feed. We’ll see.”  
  
“Whoa…” You watch him work, fascinated. “You’re pretty good with electronics.” BP pauses for a minute, looking at you with a surprisingly pained look.  
  
“Yea.” Its his only response before he continues. You don't press the issue, unwilling to see that look on his face again.  
  
After a few more minutes you walk back into the living room, leaving BP to his experiments. You plop down on the couch, shoving your crutches to the ground. A message from Debbie pops up on your phone. You want to tell her about everything. To vent, to hear her voice. But if they’ve bugged your house, your phone is a goner. You groan in frustration. Fuck the MRC.  
  
The air around you crackles lightly. For once, your heart doesn’t drop in fear. You look around immediately for the skeleton. He appears in a blink, hands in his pocket but looking very alarmed. He looks at you for only a quick moment, before heading straight into the kitchen. You hear faint whispering.  
  
_Oh fuck no!_  
  
"Are you guys _still_  trying to keep everything from me?!” You call out, anger dripping in your every word. The whispering stops immediately. “My house is bugged and my friends are either on house arrest or on their way to the fucking MRC station in New York.” BP and Sans appear in the doorway. BP looks very guilty. Sans...not so much. “I’m involved in this.”  
  
There is a long moment when nobody speaks. BP’s eyes move from you to Sans at a fast pace, his tail swishing quickly against the floor. Sans is looking straight at you, unmoving.  
  
“your boss is missing.” A moment goes by when you’re just shocked that Sans spoke. Then you realize what he said. You sit up straight.  
  
“What?!” _Luke Is missing? How?_ “But we just saw him! He was on his way…” You freeze. _No._  
  
“home in a MRC van?” The skeleton finishes. “well he never ended up at his apartment.”  
  
You're heart begins to beat rapidly. Heisenburg and Bluman, they are friends of yours. You care about them. You’d help them anyways. But Luke, he’s family. This suddenly is a lot more personal.  
  
“Tell me everything.” Your voice is calm. You are calm. You feel something resonate in your core. “Now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY MY LOVES ಠ╭╮ಠ
> 
> I told ya'll I'd post last Friday but mistakes were made :'( 
> 
> I hope you guys are at least a bit happy about this chapter. It's rough, mostly because my edited version got deleted because I'm an idiot who can't save things apparently. At least I posted my guaranteed Wednesday post! But I'm going to try my damnedest to get at least another chapter out this week, hopefully two depending on how my Uni work goes!
> 
> Thank you guys again SO much for the support! Without you I definitely would not have 12 chapters out right now <3 I appreciate you guys so so much!
> 
> -J♡


	13. The Bakery's Best

“So…” You prompt, looking between the two monsters.  
  
It’s been a good five minutes since you demanded answers, and nothing has happened. Sans is still just standing there, hands in his pockets, staring at you. That's uncomfortable. BP looks back and forth between you and Sans but says nothing. Also uncomfortable. _What the hell guys?_  
  
“so…” Sans suddenly speaks. “we’re getting out.”  
  
“You-“ BP starts suddenly to the skeleton. He pauses for a minute, thinking of his words. “You’re really okay with this?” He looks sceptical, and you can’t blame him. Honestly you’re not completely sure why Sans is even still here. Apparently he can just disappear if he wants, so why isn’t he? He's done it before.  
  
“the kid is right.” Sans shrugs, moving towards the coffee table. He sits on it harshly, and a panicked sound rises from your throat. Its an old and rickety table. You completely expect it to crash under his weight. It doesn’t even move. Weird. The skeleton looks straight at you. “she’s directly involved now.”  
  
BP stares at the two of you for a moment longer before sighing and walking over to sit beside you on the couch. You shuffle a bit to be able to see both, feeling weirdly like you’re a kid waiting to hear a bedtime story. Although, you’ve never actually had that experience and this ‘bedtime story’ will probably be a lot darker than any Dasney stuff. Okay, this analogy is awful. A moment of silence.  
  
“What are you getting out of?”  
  
“These.” BP rubs a paw on the collar around his neck. He’d forgotten to take it off in the apartment. It was usually his first action upon getting back, but the day has been so crazy. His paw slides over to the release button and the collar falls off, hitting the floor with a small clank.  
  
“How?”  
  
Sans sighs, rubbing a hand on the back of his skull. “a lot of science-y words you probably wont understand.” You want to feel offended, but he isn’t wrong. “what do you know about the collars?”  
  
“Nothing.” You shrug. “The basics? That the...owner"  _ugh '_ "can control you by saying commands."   
  
The monsters look at each other for a moment. “hey, its your expertise. go for it.” Sans leans back onto his arms, looking at BP expectantly.  
  
“Ugh, fine.” BP runs a paw down his arm. “So the collars are actually designed to use our own magic against us. During installation it -i’m using basic terms here because there is a lot more to it- dragged out a portion of our magic and stored it in the collar. This has two problems for monsters. One, we can't get the collar off. Our magic is an extension of us, our souls. We cannot attack our own magic.”  
  
“Two, the magic it stores is… _ugh_ human words are not sufficient… disconnected? from us partially, to the point where it can be used however the collar see’s fit." He seems frustrated at the lack of words. _Although,_ human  _language?_ _So there's a monster language?_ You'd always thought that monsters just spoke the same as humans. Probably a naive thought. "And the collar responds to the words of the owner kind of like...how your smartphone can respond to your words but on a larger scale. The magic that is stored inside the collar is what forces us to do what humans tell us. Our own magic is what forces us to follow orders.”  
  
“That’s so horrible.” You don’t know what else to say. Do you say you’re sorry? You don’t think it’ll help anything. You stay silent, but your hand travels slightly outwards towards BP’s tail. You place your hand beside it, barely touching it. The tail flinches slightly before settling back down.  
  
“yea well, humans are pretty horrible.” Sans mutters, looking off into the distance. You stiffen up. _Ouch. True, but ouch._  
  
“So…how are you going to get out of them?”  
  
“Candy.” You narrow your eyes at BP. He looks shocked at your reaction for a brief second, before letting out a snort. “No really, candy. Monster food is different from human food. When we cook food we put a part of our magic into it, a part of our HP. “ _HP?_ You open your mouth to ask but decide against it. You'll ask later. “When a monster eats this food, the small amount of magic is given to them. Their bodies then convert the new magic into their own.”  
  
“Whoa, you can do that?” _Isn’t that like…monster cannibalism?_   You keep your thoughts to yourself.  
  
“Yea.” BP smirks. He’s definitely having fun explaining all this to you. “It’s not complete though. For every bit of other magic we consume, our own magic changes on a minuscule level. Typically not enough to make a difference. This process also the reason why we gain EXP and LV.” _EXP? LV?_   You nod along, trying to hide your confusion. "When two monsters fight to the point where one falls down, the remaining magic is scattered into the air. Typically, a large portion of it is absorbed into the winning monster. However, this amount is a lot larger than the winning monster can completely convert. So instead, the magic becomes EXP, which will eventually lead to LV!"  
  
"Oh...kay..." You attempt. You see sans hiding his mouth being his hand. Asshole. He's laughing at you. "That's super interesting, and I'm not gonna lie I have many questions. But please, back to the candy and collars."  
  
“Right.“ He shakes his head. “Anyways, so this monster candy delivers a small bit of magic to the recipients right? And this will cause the monsters magic to change? Well, if we can give monsters enough of this candy, eventually their own magic will change enough that it wont recognize the magic in the collar.”  
  
“Then they can attack it!” You announce, grinning wildly. That explanation was an absolute mess, but you think you might understand. It seems like a long process though. You wonder how long these two monsters have been working at it.  
  
BP nods with a big smile. “Yup. Then they can get out.”    
  
“So what about Luke?” Your stomach turns even asking this question. A large part of you doesn’t want to know.  
  
"he's a distributer." Sans replies instead. "without him we'd have no way to get the candy into the cities. he markets them as a 'monster enhancement drug'. sometimes it gets picked up by a few pharmacies and stores, which means that the humans are unknowingly helping to free their monsters. if we can't get it into the human market, our people can distribute it throughout the monsters a lot...quieter." You wonder about Luke's recent trip to New York. _Was he…?_  
  
“Heisenburg and Bluman?" You ask.  
  
“They cook the ingredients for us.” BP mutters. “Heisenburg is a really smart guy, knows his way around chemistry. I found them close to seven years ago cooking meth and offered them the opportunity for more money. They didn't even ask, just took it the job.” He shakes his head unbelievingly.   
  
“Can’t you do it yourself?”  
  
“it’s difficult.” Sans replies. “its basically impossible to get the ingredients as a monster, or the necessary equipment, or space to do it. BP needs to be the one to actually cook it, but it goes faster with more people." Why does it have to be BP? You have so many more questions.   
  
You frown and lean back Into the couch. You look between the two of them. “So how did you guys get out?” You ask curiously. It's been nagging at your mind for a while now.   
  
The atmosphere drops suddenly. Sans looks away and BP looks down. You cannot see their expressions. Their bodies however, go stiff and uncomfortable. _What the hell?_  
  
“That’s…” You see BP’s claws come out and retract a few times. “Not a very nice story.” You look at Sans. His eye lights are completely out. Shit. You didn’t think such a simple question would have this affect.  
  
“You don’t have to tell me!” You try to amend, placing your hands up in a placating gesture. “It’s too personal, I get it. Don’t worry!”  
  
There is a very long, very uncomfortable silence.  
  
“well, _collar_  me impressed.” Sans suddenly speaks. _Wait. Was the a pun?!_  “you’re taking this better than I thought.” His eye lights are back, and his eye sockets narrow at you. Seriously, how the hell can a skeleton do that?  
  
“To be honest, I’m really not.” You admit, bringing your hands back down to your sides. “I’m a bit overwhelmed and I’ll probably think it through tonight instead of sleeping. But it’s okay. You didn’t scare me away or anything.” Nervous laughter.  _Great. This is awkward._  
  
Suddenly BP pushes himself off the couch in a fluid motion to stand. “I’m taking a shower now.” He strides quickly towards the bathroom, escaping the situation. Well, you guess the talk is over now? Probably a good thing, you've been given too much information anyways. You can feel a slight headache coming on.   
  
“Thank you.” You look at Sans. He seems a bit shocked. “For telling me this. I know you don’t think I’m the most trustworthy person-“  
  
“that’s just it, kid.” He interrupts. You’re not offended, more interested in what he wants to say. “ it’s the fact that you _are_  a person that makes you untrustworthy. nothing against ya personally.”   
  
You take in a long breath. It makes sense, really, but a small stem of sadness crawls up inside you. You'll never really gain the trust of the skeleton in front of you. There's no way. Maybe you'll never really gain BP's trust. Fuck, thats a sad thought.   
  
“welp, time to go.” The skeleton stands up. The air crackles around you. You remember something.   
  
“Wait!” You call out. The crackling stops for a second. Sans looks at you with one eyebrow bone raised. “Where are you staying?”  
  
“why?”  
  
“Oh my god is that all you ever ask?” You groan. “I don’t need to know like the exact location. But you’re a monster in a small town. I can’t imagine anybody being willing to just house you off the street.” No, you’d be willing to bet on where the skeleton has been staying for months.  
  
“uh, well i’m…” He’s suddenly frazzled, uncomfortable in a way you’ve never seen before. “there’s a place-“  
  
“Sans-”  
  
“it’s a house near the bakery, you know the one? on main street?”  
  
“Sans!” He stops, staring at you with wide eyes. “Stay here.”  
  
His eye sockets blink once. “what”  
  
“Stay here, with me and BP. I have room. It’s not a four star hotel or anything.” You shrug. “But its a warm place and a roof over your head.”  
  
Sans flinches back, eyes narrowing.“Even for just one night?”  
  
“no.”  
  
“Sans please-“ Aaand he’s gone. You bring a pillow to your face and scream into it. You hear the shower turn on in the background.  
  
—————  
  
The shower is still on when you slide out of the apartment. It's honestly a wonder how BP can take such long showers and if utilities were not included you’d be completely screwed. You shrug on your coat and hobble out of the apartment.  
  
It takes you a while to walk to Main Street. By the time you make it there, the sun is beginning to set and you hurt all over. Especially your armpit. Nobody ever warned you about how much crutches freaking _hurt._    
  
You find the little bakery relatively easily at least. There’s nothing too special about it, but you’ve been a few times and the food is pretty good. You go inside, having a look around. Its empty of customers. Theres a girl standing behind the counter, looking bored. She straightens up as you walk in.  
  
“Hello! Can I help you find something today?” You go to wave her off automatically, then pause.  
  
“Actually, yeah.” You walk up to the counter. “Can you get me one of each of your five most popular items? Three savoury and two sweets please!” The girl tilts her head to one side for a moment, before shrugging and agreeing with a smile.  
  
A moment later you’re walking out with a small bag filled of two panini's, a quiche, a chocolate croissant and a brownie. There must be SOMETHING here he likes.  
  
_Why am I doing this?_ You turn down the alley way beside the bakery. _Why am I helping him? He did this to me._ You stop mid-step. He did this. He hurt you. He…well, acted in self-defence. He went over the top, but you did threaten him first. Your mind wanders to the night of drinking at the park. How did you even get home? BP said he walked into the living room and you were just there, on the couch, with Sans a few feet away. You assume its a part of his little 'disappearing act', but it shocked you that he brought you along. He could have just left you there. Its what you expected, honestly.  
  
You continue walking down the alleyway, coming across an interesting section. Theres a piece of wall jutting out into the alleyway. Off the wall is a tarp, creating a sort of tent shape. _Smart._ The tarp would direct the water away, but still be easy to move if necessary. You walk towards the little house, creating a lot of noise with your steps and crutch. You don’t want to be scaring the skeleton again, you might not survive the second time.  
  
“Hello?” You whisper. “Sans, it’s me.” There is no response.  
  
You sigh. Maybe he didn’t come right back here. You lean down and pull open the side of the flap. You’ll just put the paper bag inside and hope- _oh!_    
  
He’s there.  
  
Sans is sitting with his knees to his chest. His hood is up, over his head. His eyes are wide, shocked, and his mouth is slightly open. You’ve never seen it open like that. He has…canines? Well shit. There’s headphones on his head, connected to an old…walkman? _How the hell did he get that?_ You can hear the music from here. It’s so loud. He didn’t hear you approach. _Fuck_.  
  
“Um sorry.” You say hastily, unsure of the best move. Do you turn around and walk away? Do you hand him the treats? You really didn’t think he was home. You didn't want to intrude on his house. Oh god, you were intruding. Shit. Oh, now you’re just standing there looking at him. _GREAT. I'm dead._ His hand move slowly, reaching up to slide the headphones off his skull. They hit the ground with a dull clack. “what do you want?” His voice is harsh again, like how it was when you first met him. But the eye lights are still here. Thank god.  
  
“I-well-I…” You stumble on your words for a moment. “Food. Here you go.” You plop the food in front of him. “I’ll go now.” Dropping the side of the tarp, you turn around. You take a few steps away and stop, leaning back against the wall. Breathe in, breathe out.  _Well, that could have gone better._ You sigh.  _Although I suppose it also could have gone worse._  
  
"you're still here." You turn your head to the left. Sans is standing beside the tarp. "wh-"  
  
“Sans.” You interrupt. “If you ask me ‘why’ one more time, I'll hit you with my crutch.” Sans pauses, and looks beyond you.   
  
"come here." He climbs back under the tarp. You stare at the area he had been for a moment, confused. Slowly, you move back towards the little house and stare a the tarp. He wants you to go in? Why? You stand there a bit longer, contemplating your options. You could leave, avoid what is turning out to be a very awkward situation or go in, take a chance, and maybe find out something about the skeleton.  
  
_Ah, fuck it._  
  
You bend down carefully and reach for the tarp. How is this going to work? There’s no way the two of you can fit in there, is there? Is this some magic going on? Some Doctor How 'bigger on the inside' shit?   
  
No, you soon find out, there is nothing of that sort going on. A few moments of struggling later you're sitting beside Sans, close enough that your good thigh is resting against his...femur? Your bad leg is stretched out straight in front of you, actually reaching outside of the tarp. Thats probably a hilarious image. A small bubble of laughter grows in your chest despite the circumstances. 

Sans is not saying anything, but is looking through the bag of food.   
  
“So why did you ask me to come in here?” Please say something. Anything to stop the uncomfortable atmosphere.  
  
"surprised you actually agreed to come in." He mutters, continuing to look through the bag.  
  
“Well you asked me to!” You point a finger at him, narrowing your eyes. “That’s unfair!”  
  
“why would you willingly come into a place like this?”You look at him for a long moment. For once, he's the uncomfortable one. You can tell he isn't happy having someone know how he's been living, let alone having someone actually  _see_ it.  
  
With a breath you lean back against the brick wall. “It’s not my first time being in a place like this.” You admit quietly. “I’m not talking about BP either.”  
  
A moment pause, then a quiet whisper. “how long?”  
  
“About a year.” You run a hand through your hair. “Luke found me after that. The stupid guy took me in almost immediately. Well, he tried to anyways. I was stubborn as all hell. Eventually I gave in though. I still didn't trust him, but anything he had to offer sounded better than my current life.” You pause for a moment. “If he wasn’t such a good guy, I’d hate to see where I’d be right now.”  
  
“thats why you helped BP.” The skeletons tone takes on tone of understanding.  
  
You nod. “Yeah.” You look away from the skeleton and play with the edge of your coat. “I don’t see that stuff much here. People have better luck In the cities where the buildings keep the cold out and there are more crowds for money. So, when I saw BP here I wanted to help him…I just couldn’t leave him alone." You let out a small laugh, before turning to Sans. “It’s the same with you, you know?”  
  
“even after what I did?” He looks down at your leg.  
  
You let out a long breath and shake your head. “I mean, I’m still very cautious around you and whenever your eyes get all black and spooky it’s terrifying." You look away from him again. “But I don’t think you intend to hurt me anymore. You don’t seem malicious, and BP trusts you. That’s enough for me. Like I said, its no four star hotel, and I don’t know if I have much food to share. But its a roof over your head and warmth. Winter is coming fast, and freezing outside is never a fun option."  
  
You expect the long silence this time, as the skeleton thinks over your offer. It’s still uncomfortable, although less than previous ones.  
  
“ok.” Your head snaps back up to the skeleton.  
  
"Wait, actually?!”  
  
“sure kid. if you really want this bag of bones in your house that badly, i’m not gonna say no.” A strong feeling of triumph races through you, and you suppress the urge to fist-pump the air in excitement. You still feel a bit bewildered, honestly expecting to leave alone. None of this has been what you expected when you left the house. Speaking of...  
  
“Alright, should we head back now then?” You struggle up into a standing position- a movement that would have been impossible to do solo only a few weeks ago. You stand up with your crutch and shuffle out of the small house. “It’s a pretty long way back so we should start now.”  
  
“i know a shortcut.” You hear Sans move behind you, sliding out from under the tarp as well. He's still holding the bag of food.  
  
“Really?” You narrow your eyes in confusion. “Where? I can’t think of a single way to-“  
  
“just close your eyes.” He interrupts. You eye him suspiciously for a moment, but obey.  
  
The second your eyes close, a boney hand grabs your wrist and pulls you forward. You stumble, not expecting to suddenly move. Your heart suddenly is in your throat, your head is spinning and you're about to throw up- _oh god._ Then there is floor beneath you again. Your eyes open automatically and you look around. You’re in your apartment. In front of you, the skeleton stands there with a smirk. You look at him, then back at the apartment, then back at him.  
  
“Okay how the fuck did you do tha-“  
  
“You’re back then.” You turn quickly to the sound of a voice. It’s BP, leaning against the wall with his ams crossed. He looks every bit the stereotypical my-child-was-out-all-night parent. You almost want to laugh at the absurdity of the thought.  
  
“Yup." You smile. He sighs. “I left you a note dude.”  
  
“Couldn't be more vague. _‘Going out for stuff’_? Like what the hell is that supposed to mean?!” He walks over to you and bops you lightly on the head. You flinch back dramatically and yell out in fake pain. He lets out a snort, before turning to Sans. “So what happened then?“  
  
Sans looks at you but says nothing.   
  
"Oh!” Standing up straight, you inform him. “Sans is going to stay here now.” You give BP a look: do  _not_ say anything negative about this, I just -somehow- won him over. Obviously you thoughts don't translate through a mere look and he is just confused.   
  
He looks back at Sans for answers. “heya roomie.” Sans says, shrugging. BP blinks a few times without saying anything. He lets out a small groan and turns around, throwing his paws up in the air.  
  
“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.” He pauses, turning back. “Wait. Where’s he going to sleep?” His eyes narrow slightly at you.  
  
“Don’t worry, I’m not making you give up the couch.” You laugh lightly. “I have Debbie's blow up mattress somewhere around here. I’ll just find it and ta-da!”  
  
—————  
  
You can't find the air mattress, and Debbie isn't responding to your texts. You'd be worried about that, but she's been texting less since her trip to Ebott started.   
  
The three of you stand around the couch. You frown, crossing your arms in front of your chest.  _What to do..._  
  
“i can sleep on the floor?" Sans raises an eyebrow bone and shrugs nonchalantly. True, it's better than where he was before. But it's definitely not an ideal arrangement. You wave off his idea, looking around the apartment. Your eyes fall on BP. Ah, got it.  
  
"BP, stay with me tonight?" You give him a big smile. He just looks at you with wide eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
You reach forward and grab his arm lightly. "Ah, it won't be that bad. I don't kick or anything!" In the end, you trust BP a whole lot more than you trust Sans. "It'll be fine. Sans can take the couch for one night and I'll track down the air mattress tomorrow!"  
  
The two monsters share a look, before the skeleton shrugs. BP sighs and turns back to you. "Alright, fine. One night and I get the couch back." You nod with a soft smile.  
  
And thats how you find yourself under the covers with BP, watching shitty comedy moves on your laptop and laughing into the night. He falls asleep somewhere after the third movie. Before you, like usual, but you're not tired.  
  
You watch another movie. Its funny, really funny. But sometime between the first and last scene your laughing fades away and you lose all focus on the screen. You cover your face with your hands, feeling your eyes start to burn and breath get heavy.  
  
Your mind is reeling with information about the monsters and about humanity. The terrible truths that you've been told today, and the even worse ones that you can imply from their words. Monsters can be forced to do  _anything_ , and humanity...is not the most 'morally correct' species. Your heart hurts just thinking about the possible things that monsters probably have gone through.   
  
You also think of your friends: of Luke, Heisenburg and Bluman. Where are they now? Are they hurt? Are they even alive? You assume that Heisenburg and Bluman may actually be taken to New York, but Luke is completely missing. He could be _dead._ You think of his smiling face, and some tears start to slide down your cheeks.  
  
It takes you a long time to fall asleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MON CHERIE ٩(♡ε♡ )۶
> 
> Re-writing this chapter from scratch was a whole new kind of difficult, let me tell you. It's still different from how it's meant to be, but I'm overall okay with it. There may be some little mistakes here and there due to rushed writing!
> 
> So we have SOME answers, kinda. BP and Sans are still not telling complete truths, haha. We'll go more into lore and explanations later on in the story :) 
> 
> For now enjoy a surprisingly happy-ish chapter haha. Thank you guys so so so much! Without you I wouldn't be at 41000 words, I can tell you that haha.
> 
> -J♡
> 
> **Two bonus chapters will be posted to saltedpeppermintmocha.tumblr.com this week **  
> Let me know if there's any scenes you want to see as a bonus chapter!


	14. The Sumatra Special

Consciousness hits you suddenly. Ugh, your head hurts. You open your eyes a little. It’s morning. Unsure of what exactly woke you up, you reach out for your phone on the nightstand. Grabbing it, you pull it closer and hit the ‘home’ button. _7:05 a.m, huh?_ _Too early. Ugh._ You determinedly flip over to burrow back under the covers but something brown catches your eye.Your eyes open more. Oh, BP. Right, he stayed over. He’s curled up, more like a cat than any human, with his tail almost reaching his head. He looks comfortable in his sleep. The  comforting smell of smoke that always seems to follow him these days hits you. You smile softly.  
  
There’s a ruffling sound from further in the apartment. For a split second you stiffen up and hold your breath. Sans. You relax. Awake now, you sit up slowly and stretch. Reaching into your nightstand you grab some medicine for your headache and dry swallow the pill, promising yourself to drink some water later.Well, might as well get the day started. You are careful to make as little sound as possible as you slide out of bed and grab your crutch, slowly heading out of the bedroom.  
  
You stare at the bathroom door, but coffee calls to you more than struggling through another shower. Turning, you walk towards the living room.It’s empty, although the blankets and pillows are a complete mess on the floor beside couch. It’s different to how BP usually folds them up. At least he actually stayed. You had definitely considered the idea that he’d just leave in the middle of the night.  
  
You head towards the kitchen, pausing slightly in the doorframe. Sans is sitting at the table, fiddling with a flip-phone in his hands. It’s the first time you’ve seen him without the blue jacket. He looks up at you as you walk in.  
  
“G’morning.” You mutter, walking past him to the counter. “Sleep well?”  
  
“yea, thanks.” His words are quiet behind you.  
  
“Want some coffee?” You hold up a bag of Moonbucks pre-ground Sumatra blend.  
  
There is a small pause. “ok” You scoop some coffee grinds into the french press and turn on the electric kettle.  
  
Turning around, you lean against the counter. “How long have you been up for?”  
  
“dunno, a few hours.” You hum in response. He is back to fiddling with the phone. Is he texting?  
  
“Surprised you have one of those.”  
  
His eyes snap up to you harshly. “what? think we’re savages?” _What the hell??_  
  
“Whoa, no!” You hold up your hands. “I mean a flip-phone. I didn’t really think that anybody still sold them."  _Then again, I guess he does have a walkman._  
  
He holds your gaze for a moment. “oh.” He relaxes back down into the chair and lets out a deep sigh, rubbing his hand along the back of his skull. “sorry.” He whispers.  
  
You give a small smile and turn around to the kettle. _Well, this is awkward. Shit._ You pour the boiling water into the french press and stir lightly. Setting the timer for four minutes, you take in a deep breath. Now you have to deal with the awkward silence again.After taking a moment to come up with a topic, ANY topic, you turn around. He’s staring down at the phone but no longer pushing any buttons.  
  
“Hungry?” You ask, wincing slightly at the forced tone of your voice. The skeleton doesn’t say anything. _This is so awkward._ “I can make pancakes?” For a moment there’s no response, but he eventually nods his skull ‘yes’. Okay, cool. _Something_ to do other than stand around. You grease and heat the pan before grab the pancake mix along with some chocolate chips, blueberries, whipped cream and maple syrup.  
  
“want help?” You startle harshly, almost dropping the container of blueberries into the sink. Sans is standing beside you, looking slightly amused.  
  
“Sure.” You take a look at the timer. “The coffee is ready, can you get that?” He nods and walks around you to the french press, staring at it. “Oh, uh. See the wand on the top? Press down slowly to take the grinds out of the water. Then the coffee is ready.” You turn away from the skeleton and start on a plain pancake, nothing special. BP doesn’t like the chocolate ones, so you normally only make one for you anyways.  
  
The sound of your creaking cabinet door breaks the silence. Ah, he’s looking for the mugs. Sans makes a startled sound, causing you to look over. Oh. OH. _Oh no._  
  
Your face starts to heat up. The skeleton is holding a gift from Debbie. Its a simple white mug with a picture of a bone on it. It says-  
  
“i found this…humerus?” Yea, _THAT._ His skull turns to you, and you feel your blush get darker. Is that offensive? Did you just offend him with your mug selection? _Well fuck._  
  
“Sorry!” You fold your arms in front of you in a defensive gesture. “Gift from a friend, she knows I like puns and well…sorry?  
  
“jeez kid, don’t jump out of your _skin_.” Wait, what. “if you like bad jokes, i’ve got a skele- _TON_ more.”  
  
No way. You’d thought…possibly…before but… _no way, a pun-loving skeleton?_  Your mouth is open in shock. Sans looks at you for a second and begins to snicker, placing the mug down on the counter beside your other Rock and Marty one. You watch him for a moment and the absurdity of the situation hits you. You let out a small laugh.  
  
“what do you have?” He asks as he pours out the coffee. “i take a latte milk.” Oh no, it's on.  
  
“What’s _Sumatra_ with you?” You chide, turning back to your pancakes and flipping one. “That ruins the entire coffee!”  
  
“Thats a _ground_ -less accusation.” You glance over to see the skeleton dumping the grinds out in the trash. You slide the finished pancake onto the plate on the counter. One down.  
  
“Oh no, I’ve _bean_ exposed as a coffee snob.” You reply dramatically. Pouring another pancake on the pan. Sans lets out a deep chuckle. It’s a nice sound. “Nah, actually I take milk and sugar like the rest of the peasants."  
  
A cup slides across the counter and stops beside you. Surprisingly none of the coffee spilt out. “Thanks.” You mutter, taking a sip. “Oh.” The milk and sugar are already in. It’s perfect. You glance at the skeleton out of the corner of your eye. He’s drinking his too, out of the pun mug.   
  
He stands there sipping coffee as you make the rest of the pancakes, fifteen in total. You knew BP could eat a lot so maybe it was a monster thing? “Can you bring the pancakes to the table? I’ll grab the rest of the stuff.” You assume he agrees, and turn to grab some cutlery and plates.Sans is sitting at the table when you turn back, the pancakes layered on the plate in the middle. You pass him a plate, knife and fork before sitting across from him. He watches until you grab a pancake before grabbing one for himself.  
  
Your first pancake is chocolate, and you spray a little whipped cream on the top before digging in. Sans grabs a plain one, but douses it in maple syrup. It must be goop now. A waste of a good pancake. The two of you eat in silence.  
  
“Morning.” BP is walks through the doorframe, rubbing his eyes with his paw. He pauses as he looks between you. Slower, he continues towards the table and sits down. He grabs a pancake with his paw and places it on the plate, spreading some butter and whipped cream on top.  
  
After a few more bites, you ask, “So what’s the plan?”  
  
BP looks at Sans for a moment, but the skeleton stays quiet. “Our backup plan has always been to pack up supplies and go back to the city. Start again.” He looks away. “It's all we can do.” _Oh._  
  
That makes sense, really. It hurts though, the thought that you’re going to have to give up this new strange, magical life that’s appeared before you.  
  
Wait. _Are_ you?  
  
You lean on your arm and look beyond Sans to your window, a thread of an idea forming inside your mind. There's nothing here for you, not anymore. Heisenberg and Bluman are gone, Luke is missing, the diner is closed and Debbie is in Ebott. But the city. That's so dangerous. There's more people there to hide behind, but also more cops and less loyalty. There’s risk. You look at the monsters in front of you. There's no way there wont be issues with the police in the future. Can you risk that? Risk everything you’ve built up?  
  
“Okay, when are we leaving?” There really wasn't any other option.  
  
“we?”  
  
“Yes, Sans." You look him straight in the eye…sockets. “I’m coming.” A long moment of silentce as the two of you stare at each other, challenging the other.  
  
It’s Sans who gives in. “we leave as soon as possible, so pack a bag today.” You lean back into your chair with a victorious smile. BP just looks at you with his mouth open in shock.  
  
“Can d-“  
  
**Knock. Knock.**  
  
You freeze, turning your head towards the doorframe. Who would even be here at this hour?Both BP and Sans have similar expressions on their face of suspicion. The knocking happens again, more insistant. Shit.  
  
“Coming!” You stand up and walk towards the door. Your hand shakes slightly as you reach for it. The door opens slowly. It’s Mac.  
  
He’s standing there alone with his all to wide grin. “Hello again!” He says cheerily.  
  
“H-Hi Mac!” You reply loudly, hoping the monsters inside will get the hint and disappear.  
  
Mac raises an eyebrow. “Can I come in?” He takes a step forward, but you hold your ground, hoping any extra time will help the monsters.  
  
“Of course you can come inside!” _Please hide guys. Please._ You step aside slowly and Mac pushes his way In. He looks around instantly, eyes stopping once in a while on different objects. Its Invasive in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable.You let out a breath of relief when you notice the apartment is quiet. A quick peek into the kitchen and you see no monsters. The pancakes are still there though, along with the plates and coffee. It's obvious that someone was over. Shit. You can't let him see that.  
  
“U-um, please sit down?” You motion towards the messy couch. He looks at it for a moment, before looking at you. “BP…my uh, monster…sleeps here.”  
  
“You’re too kind. It’s meant for the floor.” He walks over and plops down on the couch, placing his hands over the back. "Where is the thing anyways?"  
  
"Bathroom.” You lie, cautiously sitting as far away from him as you can. An uncomfortable silence flows through the apartment. Looking over at Mac you realize his roaming gaze has stopped. You follow his line of vision to a blue hoodie, NOT your blue hoodie. Shit. Sans. Mac is staring at it for too long. _He knows._ Oh god.  
  
“So why are you here?" You ask quickly. The mans eyes shift to you. He waits a moment to respond. His hand lifts from the back of the couch and lands on your leg near your cast.  
  
“I heard you have a doctors appointment tomorrow.” Oh shit, you do. _How does he know that?_  “I know Luke was your driver, how do you plan to get to the hospital?  
  
“A cab?”  
  
Mac lets out a sudden laugh. “No, no no. After all the food you've served me and my partner I couldn't’ dream of letting you cab there.” Your eyes widen as you realize what he's getting at.  
  
“Oh, Mac. That’s really nice of you but I’ll be okay on my own.” You insist. “I wouldn’t want to impose-“  
  
“Nonsense!” The hand on your leg tightens slightly. You flinch. “I Insist! I won't take no for an answer. Your appointment is at eleven correct?” He doesn't wait for a response. “I’ll be here at ten.” His tone leaves no room for argument. You stare at him, lost.  His hand gets even tighter for a second, sending pain through your leg. Then he lets go completely and pushes himself up.  
  
“Well.” He starts.“ I better go. I’ll see you tomorrow at ten. Be here.” His words almost sound like a warning. You get up behind him and follow him out to the door. He opens it and gives you a wide smile before leaving. You close the door behind him, locking it.  
  
BP appears almost instantaneously, walking out from your bedroom door. He's quieter than ever, not making a sound as he walks towards you. You open your mouth to ask him what is going on, but he shakes his head. He stops beside you and places an ear against the door. Listening? You look at the monster In the eye, then jerk your head towards the door: is he outside? BP nods. Shit. The two of you stand there for a while in silence. Then BP relaxes slightly. "He's gone.”You head back to the couch and sit down, not really trusting your legs. “Holy shit." You mutter. BP starts to pace behind the couch. He heard everything, no doubt.  
  
“We need to do something. He saw San's coat!”  
  
BP pauses mid-step. "Shit. They’ve met before.”  
  
“Shit.” You agree. “Where’s Sans?”  
  
“Don't know.” Bad news. “He disappeared pretty quickly.” You groan in frustration and put your head in your hands.  
  
The rest of the day passes by slowly. You both spend a long time on the laptop, looking at various news cycles. Eventually you feel the stress turn into panic and ask BP to turn on a movie instead. Any movie. That was three hours ago.  
  
It's getting dark now. You have no idea what movie is on, and bet neither does BP. You’re both too lost in thought and stress. The air begins to crackle around you. For once, you get excited. Sans. He’ll know what to do. Right? You hear him before you even see him.  
  
“you’re being watched.” You sit up straight.  
  
“What?” Shit shit shit shit.  
  
“an unmarked car outside your apartment.” Sans sits down on the side of the coffee table. “they have surveillance gear and talked to Mac when he left.”  
  
“Are they…listening In on us now?" Sans shakes his head.  
  
“they're probably waiting for one of you to leave, to follow you.”  
  
You look back and forth between Sans and BP. “What do we do? Guys?” You're being watched by the MRC. Oh no, oh no no no no. “Can we leave? Tonight?”  
  
“we need to leave soon.” Sans agrees. “but we need your car.” You groan in frustration. “and you to be able to drive. monsters aren’t’ allowed.”  
  
“Thats bullshit." You mutter, crossing your arms in front of your chest. That means you need your cast off, which means a trip to the hospital, which means…Mac.  
  
“yea.” Sans agrees. “it is.”  
  
————  
  
The next morning is marked with tension. The three of you sit around the table, not really talking. BP makes some coffee, but nobody really drinks it. At 10 a.m exactly, there's a knock on your door. You give a fearful look to the monsters before heading out to meet Mac.  
  
You feel like you’re headed to your own execution as you sit down in the passenger seat. You take a quick look around the car, everything looks normal. Mac gets in beside you and turns the ignition. The car comes to life and he begins to drive out of the parking lot.  
  
The apartment is just out of view when Mac begins to speak. “I want to talk to you about James.” You frown and nervously look out the window.  
  
“What about James?” Honestly, a bit of relief hits you as he brings up his partner. This is dating. A safer topic than you’d expected.  
  
“It’s weird, you know.” Mac begins. “The guy was head-over-heals for you and suddenly left for Ebott. No warning, natta.” Crossing your legs, you stare back at Mac determined that wasn’t going to intimidate you over this.  
  
“We went out for a date. That’s all. Didn’t end well, he left without saying goodbye.”  
  
“And why did it end so badly?”  
  
“I don’t know.” You ground out. “I guess we just weren’t that compatible.”  
  
Mac doesn’t say anything else. He reaches over to turn up the music. Thats fine with you. You nervously listen to fucking classical music the rest of the way. Mac drops you off outside of the hospital and hands you a card with a phone number on it. promising to pick you up when you call.  
  
The hospital didn’t seem too busy today. You only wait a good ten minutes before being called in to see the doctor. She asks a few basic questions and hums at your answers, writing things down on her paper. Finally she puts it down. A nurse comes in and begins to fiddle with a machine.  
  
“So, are you happy to get this thing off?”  
  
“Like you can’t believe.” You reply quietly.  
  
The process to get the cast off was rather quick, but you wished the entire time that BP was with you. The sound of the saw-thing really freaked you out. Your foot was a bit swollen, so you are forced to buy some bigger shoes from the hospital. Great.After giving you a run-down of how to take care of your leg, the doctor gets you to sign some forms and disappears with a cheery ‘goodbye and well wishes.’  
  
The nurse stays behind, fiddling more with the machine.It takes a few minutes for your leg to cooperate, and the nurse helps you walk back towards the entrance. You sit down in one of the chairs and open your phone to call Mac. You let him know that you’re ready and he replies that he’ll be there in a few minutes.  
  
True to his word, Mac’s BMW appears in a few minutes. He doesn’t get out, so you slowly make your way over to the car and open the passenger site door. Mac gives you a big smile and you slide in, pulling your seat belt on. You say nothing as he pulls out of the parking lot.  
  
“Bet that feels great, huh?” That was not Mac.  
  
Oh my god.  
  
That was  _not Mac._  
  
You turn wildly around in your seat. A familiar handsome face stares back at you.  
  
“James?!” You scream.  
  
“Hello again.” He waves with a smile. “Glad that you could make it to our little question session.”  
  
Oh shit. “W-what do you mean?”  
  
It’s Mac that answers. “See, I always thought you were suspicious. A waitress at the very diner we are watching who owns the only monster in the town?” He chuckles. “But James here…he’s one to think with his heart over his head.”  
  
“I’ve had some time to think since our last encounter… “ Your eyes fly back to James as he speaks. "And I’ve realized that Mac has some pretty good points.” He looks down suddenly. You follow his vision and your breath catches.  
  
No.  
  
_Please no._  
  
It's a gun, pointed at you, safety off. You are frozen in fear. Your mouth opens and shuts unhelpfully. You don't know what do say. You don’t know what to do.What will get you killed? What will keep you alive?   
  
“So, we have some questions for ya.”  
  
  
————  
  
You close your door behind you and slide to the ground.Tears are already sliding down your cheeks.  
  
_Where is BP?_  
  
You sit there for a few minutes, fighting back your sobs. You can hear the shower from here. BP. He can't hear you out here.   
  
“shit.” You hear footsteps approach. “you okay?” You open your mouth to say something, anything, but instead a wretched sound leaves your throat and you burst into sobs.  
  
“woah woah.” A bony hand is placed on your shoulder. “hey…you’re safe.” You feel a bubble of a hysterical laugh form in your chest. Safe. _Right._ He kneels down in front of you. You look up at his skull through blurry eyes. “fuck, ok. look at me. breathe. you need to breathe.”  
  
“c’mon, breathe in.” You pull in a shaky breath. “hold it…and out.” You repeat this process for a bit, until the sobs begin to fade and you’re left a shaky, teary mess.  
  
“good…ok. “The hand moves from your shoulder to in front of your face. “grab my hand.” You obey, and he slowly pulls you into a standing position. You stare at the hand. Its hard. He slowly pulls you forward. You follow blindly, allowing yourself to be pushed into sitting on the couch.  
  
Sans sits beside you, closer than normal. He doesn’t say anything, and you focus on breathing to calm yourself down. After a few minutes, you hear the shower stop. You can hear BP rummaging around in the bathroom, then the door opens. His footsteps get closer before stopping.Looking back, you notice his eyes are going between your face and your…hand? Following his gaze, you notice that you never took your hand back from Sans.   
  
"Sorry.” You mumble, pulling your hand out of his.  
  
BP comes over to crouch in front of you. “What happened?”  
  
“They…guns..he…” You pause, trying to formulate your thoughts. Sans’ eyes widened as you mentioned guns. “Coming back from the hospital…James was in the car.” You rub at your eyes. “He had a gun…started asking about you…and about Sans.”  
  
“what did you tell them.”  
  
“Sans!” BP growls at the skeleton.  
  
“no!” His hands grab your shoulders, turning you to him. His eyes lights are disappearing. “we need to know. what. did. you. say.”  
  
“Nothing!” You feel tears begin to escape again at his look. “I didn’t say anything. I had no idea who this ‘homicidal skeleton’ was and BP was my monster. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t.” Those dark voids stare at you for a moment longer, before the skeleton lets go.  
  
BP forces himself between you and “I'm taking her to bed, now.”  
  
“she needs to take a shower.”  
  
“Sans!” BP growls. “Not the time to be a fucking asshole!”  
  
“no.” Sans looks down at you. “trust me. she needs a shower.”  
  
Actually, a shower sounds good right now. Wash off everything that just happened. Wash off the dirt…the tears. Like it never happened. _Oh._ You look up at Sans. _I see_.  
  
“Yea, a shower sounds good.”  
  
You spent longer in the shower than ever before. For a long time you just sat in the tub, sobbing and trying to process what had just happened. It had been a double-hit, with the gun bringing back memories of the robbery. Like it had been planned to completely terrify you.  
  
Eventually the tears ran out and you just sat staring at the wall. You don’t want to go to sleep. The realization hits you suddenly. The knowledge that when you will be haunted with nightmares over this creating panic in your chest. Standing up, you lean out of the shower and call for BP.  
  
“You okay?” He’s outside the door quickly. Oh yea, monster-cat hearing.  
  
“Can we order in and watch movies tonight?”  
  
A pause. “If thats what you want?”  
  
You nod, then realize he can’t see you. You call out an affirmative and duck back under the spray. Its starting to get cooler. You need to actually move. The rest of the shower is completed in a fog-like state.  
  
The pizza arrives as you’re sliding on your pyjamas. You’ve successfully pushed the events of today further back into your mind, promising yourself to think and process more later. You use the elevator to go downstairs to pick it up, the doctor’s warnings about overuse in your mind.You were NOT messing up the healing at this stage. _Fuck that._  
  
BP says nothing about your red, puffy eyes and is ready to take the pizzas from you as you enter the apartment. Sans is back, sitting on one side of the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. How can he look so relaxed during all this? You feel like you’re about to fall apart at the seams. BP plops down on the other side of the couch, placing the boxes on the coffee table. Drinks are already there. _Huh. Guess I’m sitting in the middle then?_ You sit down carefully and open one of the boxes. Pineapple. _Ugh._  
  
“Its yours.” You pass that one to him and open the other, stomach growling at the smell. You pick up a piece and take a bite. It’s heaven on earth, and you groan in happiness.  
  
BP clears his throat and passes you the laptop, forcing you to put the slice down on some paper towel. “It logged us out.” The HDMI is already hooked up, so you re-enter your information and bring up Notflix.  
  
“Alright guys. What do you want to watch?” You start scrolling through options. “Black is the New Orange, No Reasons Why, 8 Senses, Mettaton the Musical the Television Series-“  
  
“yes.” You look over to Sans in shock.  
  
“Wait, really?” You frown. The skeleton is sat straight up, staring at you. You sigh. “Alright, fine. I don’t understand it. But fine.”  
  
You start up the first episode and place the laptop behind the pizza box on the table.Picking up your slice again, you start to dig in. On screen Mettaton is playing a new kid in school who is more fabulous than anyone so the other kids are jealous. You roll your eyes. “This is so ridicu- guys?”  
  
Both Sans and BP are staring straight at the television, seemingly entranced in the show. What the fuck is happening here? You look back and forth between them in confusion. You had thought that maybe BP didn't know...or maybe he was easy to forgive. But Sans too?   
  
“Guys?” How could they stand to watch the robot that betrayed them?  
  
Sans breaks away to look at you. He looks a bit guilty, eye lights unable to focus completely on your face. “heh, yea i’ve always hated that rust bucket.” But then his eyes go back to the screen and he doesn’t look away.  
  
You get the feeling that he’s not telling you something important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> أصدقائى. ヽ(•‿•)ノ
> 
> This was THIS close to not happening today lol. Sorry if there are any grammar/formatting issues. It was a rush to post. BUT I hope you guys still like it!
> 
> I love you guys!!
> 
> -J♡
> 
> **If anyone is curious, this is the mug:
> 
> https://www.amazon.ca/CafePress-Found-Humerus-Unique-Coffee/dp/B071J2JW81/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1511547150&sr=8-21&keywords=skeleton%2Bmug&th=1
> 
> I actually own it, but didn't get it off amazon **


	15. The Hot Dogs

You are being watched.  
  
San’s words haunt you that night. You dream of the hooded robbers chasing you down a dead street. They catch you, and when they take off their hoods it reveals James and Mac. They hold the gun to your head.  
  
You’re shaken awake in that moment, opening your eyes to see BP leaning over you. He looks concerned and his mouth opens to speak. You interrupt him by shaking your head silently, and tell him to go back to sleep.He doesn’t look happy but his eyes close slightly as he lays back. The guy has always been quick to fall asleep.  
  
You smile softly at him and slide out of the bed. You walk slowly out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Quietly, as to not wake up a sleeping skeleton, you tip toe passed the couch towards the kitchen. You pause.  
  
He’s not there. The sheets are a mess with most of them laying on the floor and the pillow is across the room. _What happened here?_ You continue into the kitchen and find your cupboard with mugs, filling one up with water. Leaning against the counter, you take in the silence. It’s nice, actually.  
  
In the end, you’re kind of happy that you never found Debbie’s old air mattress. BP has continued to sleep in your bed, which brings you a bit of comfort considering everything going on. And you’re very happy that he woke you up when he did.  Thinking of the nightmare sends a pang of stress straight to your heart. It had been getting worse, fast. You gulp down the rest of the water and place the mug in the sink before heading out towards the balcony.   
  
It’s occupied. Sans is out there, leaning against the railing and looking towards the ground. You open the sliding glass door slowly but he doesn’t react.  
  
“You’re awake late.” You mutter as you go to lean against the balcony a foot away from him.  
  
The skeleton looks over to you for a second. “could say the same for you.”  
  
You pause for a moment. “Bad dreams.” You sigh. After a moment you look back at your companion. “How about you?” Sans says nothing. You take the hint and look straight ahead.   
  
_Ahh, the air is nice._  
  
“Are you not worried about the …” You gesture towards the parking lot below you. “Uh, them?”  
  
“they’re gone.” He sighs, rubbing a hand on the back of his skull. “they left an hour ago, three on the dot. did the same last night, but returned at three thirty.” His bones clank against the railings softly as he shifts. “if this continues it’ll be a pattern.”  
  
Your eyes widen and you turn to look straight at him. “Does that mean?”  
  
“yeah." He replies. “you packed a bag?”  
  
You nod your head. “When?”  
  
“soon.” The skeleton replies. “very soon.”  
  
Neither of you speak another word. You turn to look over the scarcely lit town in front of you.  
  
The silence is comfortable.  
  
————  
  
The surveillance car returns at three thirty, on the dot. Sans disappears without a word as the car turns into the parking lot. You head back to bed.  
  
Sans is not there when you wake up, but BP doesn’t seem too worried so you don’t question it. The prospect of possibly being followed around town by shady MRC reps doesn’t excite either your or BP, so you spend the next day laying around the house.  
  
The last hour has been taken up by watching old episodes the Price is Wrong on MeTube. You’ve been betting real money on your guesses. So far you are negative fifty dollars. Weird, you’d thought you’d have an edge over the monster considering all the items shown are  _human._  
  
“$25 400” BP mutters from his laying position on the couch. He’s stretched out on his stomach with his legs over yours and head on his hands.  
  
“Pffft, no way. It has to be worth at least $30,000.” You protest. “The car ALONE must be worth $20,000 and there’s the trip and everything.”   
  
The host Rob Parker smiles and opens his envelope: ‘And the price is…. $25,584!’. You groan and lean back into the couch. Well shit.  
  
BP gives a halfhearted victory holler and lets his head plop down onto the couch. He grumbles. “You owe me $60 now.”  
  
God, you’re bored. But neither of you can think of anything else to watch. You’ve gone through all the good options on Notflix. A new episode of Price is Wrong begins to autoplay, Rob Parker getting introduced  _again_. That’s enough. You reach forward and close the laptop.  
  
“Want food?” BP rolls over onto his back, looking up at you.  
  
“Don’t know.” He yawns. “What we got?”  
  
You hum in contemplation, raising a hand to your mouth. “Not much… hot dogs? Uhh…” The kitchen had been emptying faster and faster recently. You don’t have much left over that would make a cohesive meal.  
  
The air crackles around you. You sit up straight.  _Finally._  
  
The skeleton appears near the doorway to the kitchen. He looks exhausted, and leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets. You frown and wait, expecting him to say something. He doesn’t. He just leans his skull back against the wall and looks up at the ceiling.  
  
“Hey…” You start. He tenses slightly, eye sockets narrowing. “I’m just about to cook some dinner. Want a hot dog?” His shoulders relax instantly.  
  
“heh.” He mumbles. “got any hot cats?”  
  
What.  
  
“Hot cats?” Is this a…joke?  
  
You can feel your face scrunching in confusion. Sans’ eye lights shift to you. They’re bigger than normal. Heh. You didn’t know they could do that. He lets out a small chuckle. BP follows suit with a full on laugh. Yup, you missed something here. You look back and forth between the two monsters.  
  
“Sans used to work as a hot dog vendor.” BP says. “Underground.” Oh, that’s interesting. In all your research, you hadn't found a single word on what the underground was like. You’d sort of figured that it was…more primitive then hot dogs. A feeling of shame hits you, and you wince.  
  
“one of my many talents.” Sans chuckles with a shrug. “sold them at my station in hotland. when i ran out of ‘dogs i'd sell hot cats instead.”  
  
You open your mouth to ask what EXACTLY constitutes a ‘hot cat’, followed up maybe by a question about this ‘Hotland’ but the skeleton just continues on. “sure kid, a ‘dog sounds good.”  
  
You close your mouth and tilt your head slightly. His eyelights have shrunk back to their normal size, and he looks tense again. He doesn’t want you to ask about it? You let out a breath and force a smile. “Yea, sure. I’ll go make some. Just one?”  
  
Sans relaxes a bit, giving you a smile. “yup.”  
  
“How ‘bout you BP?” You turn to your friend. He’s looking back and forth between you and Sans with a frown.  
  
“Uh yea.” He removes his legs from your lap, sitting up on the couch. “Sure little buddy.”  
  
You push yourself up off the couch and head into the kitchen. The monsters take a minute to come after you.You grab the frozen hot dogs from the freezer and place them on the counter. Slices of bread will have to do for a bun. You take out the loaf. It’s half way empty but you only got it a few days ago. Giving the monsters a small smile as they come into the room, you open the door to grab the ketchup. Oh, maybe some lettuce too for a salad.  
  
Wait.  
  
“How am I out of ketchup?” You stare at the bottle in shock. Its empty, like you can see through the bottle empty. There is no drop of the liquid left. _How is this even possible?_  
  
“sorry.” You turn around, holding the bottle.   
  
You stare at him for a moment, mouth open in shock. “Did you…eat it?” You ask. Sans shrugs.To his credit, the skeleton does look apologetic. _But still,_   _how?!_ “Uhh, okay. Well I don’t have mustard or relish or anything. I _thought_  the ketchup would be enough.” You look at Sans as you say this. He just looks away. “I can't afford more take-out and we don’t really have anything else either…” With a sigh, you start to put all the ingredients back in their places. “I guess we have to go shopping.”  
  
BP groans.  
  
————  
  
You let BP be in charge of the radio on the way to the store and regret it instantly. Somehow he found the one station that was playing ‘Mettaton the Movie the Television Series’ soundtrack.  
  
Pulling into the parking lot, you find a close spot and park the car. The dark car that had been following you since the apartment parks a row behind you. _Did they think they were being subtle?_ Then again, you wouldn't have noticed it before. You sigh. It’s not like they have a reason to be too subtle. They don’t think that you know.  
  
You get out of the car and head into the store, BP following behind you. He pulls on the strings of his hoodie, closing the hood further down on his face. The zipper is done up completely but the collar is still very noticeable. You’re hit with a bit of guilt for dragging him out.  
  
The store isn’t too busy but you do get a few stares. Since BP has been _officially_  living in the town for a while now anybody who was interested has already seen him, so you don’t expect any full-on freak outs. BP snags a small cart on the way in, pushing it quietly beside you.  
  
Since you’re already at the store for _freaking ketchup_ , you decide to pick up some other items. You grab some hygiene necessities, hot dog buns, veggies, pasta, pasta sauce, and frozen pizza. It’s not a lot of variety, but its cheap and easy. Next you head towards the ketchup, determined not to forget the one item you came here for. You walk down the main section, looking at the signs for anything labeled ‘condiments’. Should you get other condiments as well? Or just ketchup? You remember Sans’ words from the night before and decide on just ketchup.  
  
“What are these for anyways?” BP’s voice brings you out of your thoughts. You turn to look at him. Oh. He’s holding the box of tampons, staring at it in confusion.  
  
You pause for a moment. “Uhh, do female monsters not…” Your face starts to warm up. _There is nothing embarrassing about this situation, nope. Oh god, why am I getting so worked up over this?_  He tilts his head to the side at your reaction.  
  
“Do they not what?” No. No way. You’re _not_  getting into this with him here. Nope.  
  
“You know what, nevermind. ” You turn back and spot the isle you need, turning down it quickly. BP doesn’t say anything, but you can hear him put the box back in the cart and follow behind you.  
  
He catches up to you as you're looking through the types of ketchup. You look at all of them before shrugging and grabbing the biggest one. BP gives you a look and you just shrug in response. Honestly if Sans can go through an entire thing of ketchup in so little time, he’d need the big one. It’s not _that_  big of a price difference anyways.  
  
“Ahh…” You look over beside you, where a lady is staring at you. “I wish I had a monster to carry all my things too.” You are confused for a moment before looking at BP. He’s been the one pushing the cart the entire time. You hadn’t thought anything of it, and would have taken the cart at any time. BP seems in a similar state as you. He looks down at the cart. You can see his tail swishing behind him. Anger hits you like a train.  
  
You open your mouth to reply something nasty, but are beaten by BP. “Yea, we monsters are very helpful.” His voice is deadpan, empty of emotion. He begins to push the cart forward. You frown but follow him out of the isle.  
  
When you're at the end, you put a hand on his arm. “Why would you-“ He shakes his head, stopping your words, then jerks his head quickly towards the isle you just came from. You look out of the corner of your eyes to wear he’s gesturing. Two men dressed in dark colours are staring at the ketchup. _Oh. Is that them?_ You look at BP for a moment and he nods. Shit. You can’t make a scene here.  
  
“Are we done?” He whispers, looking around. You want to say yes, just to get him out of the uncomfortable atmosphere.  
  
“Almost, just one more isle.” You grab the cart from him and push it towards the snacks section. BP follows behind quietly. “Grab some sort of snack thats big enough for…us.” You catch yourself from saying ‘the three of us.’BP grabs a large box of microwave popcorn and places it in the cart. You walk down to the end of the isle where the granola bars, trail mix and other things you haven’t had since school are. You grab a few boxes of different things.  
  
Your friend tilts his head in confusion as you unload your haul. You just shake your head and smile. “We're done now. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”  
  
“Popsicle stand?”  
  
————  
  
A few days go by and Sans seems to get more and more stressed. He uses your shower and laundry, so he no longer looks _dirty_ but there is something there that water and soap can't wash away. You’ve finished all of Mettaton the Movie the Television Series, and are re-watching Strangest Things for Sans. You figure he’ll like it.  
  
You begin to wonder if you’ll need another trip to the grocery store. Sans doesn’t seem to eat much of anything you make. Then again, he’s also already polished off your recent bottle of ketchup. _Do monsters need to eat?_ BP eats just as much as any human you've ever met.  
  
One night Sans doesn’t return at his regular time. You fight back a stab of worry that hits your chest and even BP seems to be on edge. There’s nothing you can do, however. You don’t even have his phone number. Why don’t you have his phone number? _Stupid_.  
  
Two hours later both of you are watching horror movies. You’ve moved so you are sitting closer to BP, watching the movie through your fingers. BP laughs at your scared response and just shovels popcorn into his mouth. The main ‘demon' is introduced in the movie, and you let out an embarrassing whimper.   
  
“Looks kind of like the King.” BP mutters with a laugh. You look at him with wide eyes, bringing your hands away from your face.“Really?" There had never been any pictures of the King online, only speculation. The biggest ‘theory' is that the King of Monsters is a huge, terrifying dragon. You wonder how much of that is influenced by the dragon Smog from Lord of the Necklace though.  
  
BP nods, but seems too invested in the movie to chat. You turn back to the movie and look at the demon. It’s sort of…goat like, kind of how the devil is typically depicted. The King looks like that? Oh shit. That’s terrifying. You’re stuck in thought for the rest of the movie.  
  
When the movie ends, you pick the next horror one in the list and hit play. It's later than either of you would usually be up but BP doesn't say anything. There's an unspoken agreement between you to stay awake until Sans comes back. But he doesn't return during that movie, or the one after that, or after that.   
  
You are fighting against yourself, trying to keep awake. BP is asleep against the arm rest. Forcing yourself to sit up straight, you accidentally elbow BP awake. You apologize, but he grumbles about wanting to be awake and sits up with you. You're worried. Did they get him? Is he okay?  
  
The feeling of crackling air fills you with relief.  
  
Sans appears in a blink in front of the television. He looks tired, stressed and…excited? There is a smile on his face that you haven't seen.  
  
“they’re gone.” BP basically jumps off the couch at his words. You’re not far behind, wide awake again. “lets go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> मेरे मित्र (◠‿◠✿)
> 
> A short chapter filled with mostly domestic lives and boredom. The chapter no one asked for, lol. But it's necessary in the end! And if you can't tell, stuff is going to HAPPEN next chapter haha.
> 
> I was so happy with the responses on my last chapter and on Tumblr! I got quite a few theories which is SO COOL to me! Thank you guys so much!
> 
> -J♡


	16. The Granola Bar

After throwing your backpack and an extra bag of food into the back, you slide into the driver seat and pull on your seatbelt. The passenger door opens quickly, with BP sliding in beside you. His small bag of possessions are placed in a bag near his feet. He’s not wearing the collar, but you don’t doubt that it’s nearby.  
  
You do a customary check in all your mirrors when the apartment building catches your eye. It had been such a rush to get out here quickly, that you hadn’t stopped to think that this could very well be your last time here. You are no idiot, and you’d spent many nights up late contemplating what could happen.  
  
In a worse case scenario, you could die out there. Maybe outright by being shot or maimed. Or maybe you’d be taken like Luke by the MRC and just disappear. The idea sends more shivers down your spine.  
  
“what’s the holdup?” A skeletal face suddenly appears in the mirror, blocking your sightline of the building. You jolt away with a screech, and here a small chuckle behind you. He’s in the back seat. The asshole.  
  
“Holy shit Sans!” You close your eyes for a minute, resting your head on the steering wheel. Breathe in. Breathe out. “Don’t scare the driver.” Opening your eyes and sitting up straight, you slide the keys into the ignition and start the car. Out of the corner of your eye you can see BP giving the skeleton a dirty look. _Good._ The two monsters act as lookout as you pull out of the parking lot.  
  
“turn left.” You hit the breaks, stopping the car suddenly from going the other direction.  
  
“What?” You turn to look back at Sans. “The highway is to the right.”  
  
“we need to pick up something first.” _Of freaking course. I hope this is important, Sans._ You turn left.  
  
With Sans directing you, the car heads straight through the centre of town. Its terrifying, even with nobody around. You keep expecting the MRC car to pull up out of nowhere. Eventually, the town begins to fade into the distance and Sans directs you to turn onto a small dirt road. Trees surround the car, leaving the headlights your only method of seeing.  
  
BP has his window down, leaning slightly out of it and looking around intently. You assume he’s checking for animals or people. You drive in silence for a few more minutes.  
  
“stop here.” Sans says. You hit the breaks and the car pulls to a stop. Sans immediately slides out of the backseat, with BP following suit. They both look comfortable here, which calms your nerves slightly.  
  
Sans leads the way into the woods.  
  
After a minute or two of walking in dark silence, you let curiosity take you. “So, where are we going?” You ask.  
  
BP falls into step beside you. “Remember how we were cooking monster candy?” You nod. “We’re going to the cabin where all that happened. There’s thousands of dollars with of monster candy and other products in there.” You let out a quiet whistle. Thousands of dollars?!  
  
You don’t know what to say, so the three of you walk in silence through the forest. You keep your eyes focused on the back of Sans’ skull, almost worried that you’d be lost in the darkness if you take your eyes off.  
  
Eventually you come to a small clearing. At the centre of it lays an unremarkable worn-down looking cabin. Sans turns around.  
  
“keep watch.” He looks at BP, who nods in response. The monster then goes to lean against a nearby tree, dark eyes scanning the trees. Sans starts to turn towards the cabin.  
  
“What about me?”Sans looks at you, eye lights almost glowing in the dark. He seems almost surprised that you asked.  
  
“uh, yea. you can come with me.” You give him a thumbs up, following behind the skeleton into the cabin.  
  
When the door opens, you’re hit by a strong smell. It was sweet for sure, but very chemically. Your nose scrunches in displeasure, but you continue into the cabin. The inside is one big room, illuminated only from a lamp that Sans turns on. In the middle are many tables set up with various equipment on it. It reminds you of a high-tech chemistry lab to be honest.  
  
Sans immediately moves over to the tables, moving from one to the other in a quick fashion. He begins to disconnect wires from machines, and remove vials from their stands.  
  
“can you grab those bags?” He points over to the wall, where three big rice bags are placed. You walk over and take a deep breath, bending down to pick one up. You let out a small sound of shock. It’s a lot lighter than you expected. You balance it on your right arm and pick up the others with your left. “bring them outside.”  
  
Sans doesn’t look up or stop moving around the tables as you head out. The cool air hits you a bit harsher this time. You walk up to BP, setting the bags down softly at the foot of the tree. He only glances at you for a second before turning his focus back into the forest. He’s worried.  
  
You lean against another side of the tree and fold your arms across your chest for warmth. This whole thing is so ridiculous. If someone had told you half a year ago that you’d be escaping from the MRC in the middle of the night with two monsters…well…you don’t know what you’d have done. Thought them crazy for sure. Your right hand slides into your pocket. There's something there. Huh. One of the granola bars you packed. _Time to stress eat._  You begin to bite into the snack.  
  
**BANG.**  
  
You jump in shock, dropping the granola bar and standing up straight. _What the fuck was that?_ It came from the Cabin. _Shit._ You can see a small stream of smoke sliding out of one of the windows.  
“Relax little buddy.” BP mutters. You look over to him. He looks unconcerned with the cabin and is still looking out over the forest. “It’s just Sans.” Just Sans? What is happening in there? BP stops talking after that, resuming his post with such focus that you don’t feel right interrupting him.  
  
Luckily just a few moments later, the skeleton emerges from the Cabin. You immediately walk over to him. He looks…dusty, but otherwise the same. A sharp relief hits you. “What was _that_?” You ask.  
  
The skeleton shrugs. “had to get rid of any evidence.” He slides his hands into his pocket. Your eyes widen in surprise. Did he just…destroy everything? Sans doesn’t say anything else and walks by you towards BP. _Shit,why_ _am I so surprised? The first time I met the guy he almost crushed me to death._ A shudder runs down your back at the thought. Maybe you weren’t completely over that whole thing.  
  
You follow Sans back towards BP. The two monsters share a look before BP shakes his head. Sans lets out a long breath. “ok time to go.” He begins to walk back in the forest. BP reaches down to grab the bags and follows. Feeling a little useless, you take up the rear. They ready hadn’t needed you here. You were just the driver. An unsettling feeling grows in your chest.  
  
After a few minutes, the road and car come back into view. Nobody says a word as the three of you slide back into the car. You pull off some frankly amazing driving to turn the car around, and start the drive back.  
  
This time, as you get closer to town you take a different route. It’s been at least twenty minutes since you first left the apartment, and the MRC might be headed back. Both BP and Sans seem on edge as well. Sans is in the middle of the back seat, looking around in every direction. BP has his window open, staring out with focused eyes.You’re almost out the other side of town when BP goes stiff.  
  
“Fuck.”  
  
“What?” You demand instantly.  
  
“There’s a car getting closer.” BPs paw begins to tap on the dashboard. “I can’t tell if its them or not though.” Clenching your teeth together, you speed up a bit. What can you even do? You take the next right a bit harshly, followed by the next left.  
  
“It’s getting closer.” BP’s tapping on the dashboard gets worse. Fuck. They’re definitely following you.  
  
You glance nervously at the bags of…something illegal in your back seat. You can see the headlights in your mirror as you take the next turn. They’re right behind you. Angrily gripping the steering wheel, you try to think of anyplace you can lose these guys.  
  
“Sans can you…?” You don’t know what you want him to do. _Something_.  
  
“no.” The skeleton shakes his head. “if they can’t prove i was with you, they can’t legally take you anywhere.” Legally. Shit. They can still illegally take you. And BP. They’re going to take BP. It’s apparent that they’re going to catch up. You’re no specially trained driver. You can’t pull off any of those awesome action movie stunts. They’re going to win. Before you even leave the town.  
  
_No. Fuck that._  
  
An idea hits you suddenly. A ridiculous idea, really. It was your defence mechanism as a kid, used many times when you wandered outside. There’s no way this could actually work. It's stupid and risky. But..Glancing quickly at the stressed monsters in your car, you come to a decision. You have to try.  
  
“Sans. Can you rip the license plate of my car from here?” The skeleton startles slightly at your voice.  
  
“uh, yea.” He looks out the back window of the car. “yea, probably. why?”  
  
“Do it!” You practically yell, turn another corner. The car behind you is catching up, there is only a small window to do _anything_. Your eyes go back to the road.The back window rolls down and for a moment nothing happens. You’re itching to look back again, to see what is happening, but don’t. You need to focus.  
  
There is a cracking sound and a small vibration echoes through the car. Your window suddenly cracks open, and a license plate glides in onto your lap. Not sparing it another glance, you look ahead for an opening. You need a turn into a residential area. For a brief moment you panic that you wont find one. Then, you see it.  
  
Oh fuck, you’re actually doing this.  
  
You turn the corner harsher than normal, hearing a gasp from BP. Spotting the first free driveway, you pull into it and turn off the car. “GET DOWN!” You scream, dropping down under the steering wheel. You hear a shuffling sound around you and hope the boys had listened.  
  
Then there is silence.  
  
For a moment, everything is black and quiet. Then the street behind you begins to illuminate with light. Headlights. You flinch. This was a stupid idea. Why did you think this would work? This is even MORE suspicious. Shit shit shit shit. You cover your eyes with your hands, expecting to be surrounded by screaming Reps any moment. To be carted away to _somewhere_  any moment.  
  
But nothing happens.  
  
You uncover your eyes, looking up into the car. It’s dark again. No headlights? Did they stop their car? Or did…did it work?  
  
“BP?” You whisper. “Are they gone? C-can you tell?” For a second there is no response.  
  
His whisper is quiet, shocked. “I think they passed us…” A tremor runs through your body.  
  
You hear some shuffling around you and can see Sans looking out the back window from your vantage point.  
  
They’re gone. Holy shit.  
  
“they’re going to come back, quickly.” Your eyes snap up to the skeleton. He’s moved. Sans is leaning forward over the drivers seat. “we need to go.” His hand reaches forward, palm up. _Is he…_  
  
You take the bony hand, letting the skeleton pull you gently out of your hiding spot. You immediately feel more on edge, more exposed. But you know he’s right. You can’t wait here for long. They’d be back and they’d find the car. The plan wouldn’t work for long.  
  
Sitting back in the driver seat, you shakily slide on your seatbelt. BP looks much more calm than you as he pulls on his. He gives you a small smile. You struggle to smile back.  
  
Wait.  
  
“Where’s the keys?!” Your eyes go wide and you pat your pockets. You lost the keys. Holy shit no you couldn’t have lost the keys how could you be so stupid they must have fallen when you ducked-  
  
“Here.” BP reaches over beside you and pulls the keys from the cupholder. Oh. Shit you’re so stupid they were right there how could you have missed them oh god you’re taking up precious time the MRC could be back any minute.  BP pauses before giving you the keys, eyes wide.  
  
“hey.” A bony hand rests on your shoulder. You look over to Sans. The skeleton looks…concerned. “breathe, remember?”  
  
Breathe in.  
  
Breathe out.  
  
_Breathe in._  
  
_Breathe out._    
  
You groan, dropping your head to your hands. It’s helping but not enough, the stress still thrums though your veins. Your hands are shaky. You don’t have _time_  for this.  
  
Grabbing the keys from BP, you all but slam them into the ignition and turn it on. Your grip on the steering wheel is too tight. A headache is threatening to blossom in your temples.  
  
“Are you sure you can do this?” BP’s paw on your arm forces you to pause. Are you sure? _Can_  you do this? You don’t know. But if you don’t… Luke’s smiling face pops into your mind. You remember the first time you saw him, you had thought he was such shit. A liar. A fake. A hysterical laugh bubbles in your throat.  
  
You slide the car into reverse and pull out of the driveway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ystäväni -`ღ´-
> 
> Another short chapter, this time with SOME action lolol. The next one's going to be long though, so hopefully that makes up for it! in fact... most of the chapters coming up will be longer ones!
> 
> Thank you ALL for your support! Honestly I never would have made it 50,000 words without you guys!!
> 
> -J♡


	17. The Truck-Stop Buffet

_Is that a bald eagle?_ You let out a yawn, looking at the sky ahead of you. _How patriotic._  
  
The rest of your great escape had been uneventful. The other car did not make an appearance (thank god) and no people were out walking on the sidewalks. At 3:20 a.m, that really wasn’t a surprise. The small town typically died down quickly at night. But something had still felt...off. It sent shivers down your spine.  
  
You’ve been on the highway for about half an hour now. The radio station is starting to become more white noise than anything else., but you don’t bother to change it. You rub at your right eye.  
  
“want me to drive?”  
  
“Huh?” You glance back at the skeleton through the mirror. “But you said monsters can’t legally-“  
  
"not legally, no." Sans shrugs. “not like this is a busy road.” It’s true, you haven’t passed a single car since leaving town. Nobody around to see. “nobody will notice in the dark and we need you awake for daytime.” Well, that’s logic you can’t really argue against. A bit of rest also sounds pretty great right about now.  
  
You pull over on the side of the road and leave the car running, just sliding out of the drivers seat. You don’t remember passing Sans on your way to the back but don’t question it. The fogginess of sleep is already beginning to hit you.You forgo a seatbelt and lay down across the seats. Instantly you let out a loud yawn. BP turns to give you a smile. You smile sleepily back at him.  
  
Sans fiddles with the seat and mirrors, adjusting them to work for him. It’s going to be weird to have to fix them later. You’ve never had anybody else drive your car. _Wait, can he even drive? Has he done it before?_ You can’t imagine there was cars in the underground. Then again…there were hot dog vendors and stuff, so maybe you’re wrong. A momentary panic flares in your chest. Then you feel the car smoothly slide back onto the road. Oh, okay. He can drive.Feeling relieved, you yawn loudly and turn over to face the back of the seat.  
  
You’re out like a light.  
  
\------

Hey, wake up!”  
  
You are gently shaken awake. “Whaa…?” Grumbling, you roll over. _It’s morning. Ugh._ That was not nearly enough sleep. A headache begins to form.The bright light and breeze stops you from falling back asleep. Your eyes focus on BP, who is crouching in the passenger seat and reaching over to shake you. Sans is not in the drivers seat. “Where’s Skeletor?”  
  
“skeletor?”  
  
You pause for a moment, before tilting your head backwards. Sans is leaning through the window of the car door behind you, twirling your keys on his finger. He has one eyebrow…bone raised and looks amused. _How does he do that?_ From your upside-down viewpoint, you can see how the bones of his neck reach into his skull. It’s interesting. It feels weirdly invasive. You sit up quickly, rubbing at your eyes.  
  
“My turn to drive?” You ask, turning completely around to face Sans. He nods and backs away from the door so you can open it. You snag the keys from him with a sleepy smile. With another yawn, you slide back into the drivers seat. _Ughhh_. Everything is messed up. You have to slide the seat quite a bit to get it right and adjust the mirrors completely. The two of you are close enough in size that this shouldn’t be THAT big of an issue.Sans lays down in the back.  
  
“You going to sleep?”  
  
“nah, just getting comfortable.” You hear the nonchalant response. You look over to BP, who has his feet up on the seat with him. He doesn’t look like he’s going to sleep either. With a small shrug, you reach over to the dashboard and pop it open to reveal a small stack of CD’s.  
  
“Alright.” You say to BP. “Pick something!” You give him a smile and slide the keys into the ignition, starting the car. You hear him looking through the CD’s as you pull back onto the highway. A few minutes later, he slides on into the slot. For a minute, nothing happens. Then you hear it.You let out a surprised laugh, and can’t help but join in.  
  
**Is this the real life?**  
  
**Is this just fantasy?**  
  
**Caught in a landslide,**  
  
**No escape from reality**  
  
**Open your eyes,**  
  
**Look up to the skies and see,**  
  
**I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,**  
  
**Because I'm easy come, easy go**  
  
**Little high, little low**  
  
_**Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me**_  
  
You can see BP giving you a wide-eyed look. “This is a classic!” You explain. He’s picked Debbie’s home made road trip mix. Good choice BP. Good choice.  
  
Other than a word here and there, nobody talks for the next few hours. You’re too busy jamming out to whatever song comes on (there’s a reason you have these CD’s after all) and let BP continue to pick album after album. The music helps, a lot, in forgetting what is going on. It makes you feel as if you’re just on a road trip with friends. A vacation. Not running away with at least one _very_  wanted monster to the city in order to find your missing friends. Nope.  
  
You take in a deep breath and push those thoughts to the back of your mind. For now, just for now. You want to get into the music and forget.  
  
You’re coming on the fourth hour when you feel a bit of worry start to crawl into your chest. The gas is getting low…scarily low. You skipped the last possible truck stop in the hopes of getting as far away from the town as possible. But now you’re regretting it. It’s not like you had a chance to fill the tank before everything went haywire in your life.It’s pure luck that you soon see the sign for a truck stop a mile away.  
  
You pull over into the right lane and turn down the music.“Sans, I’m going to pull into a truck stop.” You warn. “I need gas. What do you want to do?”  
  
The skeleton groans lightly, and there’s a clicking sound followed by some shuffling. Another clicking sound, then silence. You keep your eyes focused on the road, but you’re hit with curiosity.  
  
“What’s he doing?” You give in after a moment.  
  
“He went into the trunk.” BP snickers. Your eyes widen. Smart. Your car has an access point to the trunk from the backseat. But that can’t be comfortable. You promise yourself to be quick as you pull into the truck stop.  
  
The truck stop is small, just one small building and four gas pumps. There are around five other cars in the lot. BP reaches down into the bag by his feet and grabs the collar, clicking it into place around his neck before sitting back up. He puts his hood up as you’re pulling up to an empty pump.You turn off the engine and get out of the car, shivering slightly at the unexpected cold air. Walking around the car you look at the pump. Whoo, expensive. With a sigh, you start the process. You’re just sliding the nozzle into the opening when you hear a pained yelp.  
  
“Ouch! You little shit! Stop it now!” You turn your head towards the sound. There’s a lady yelling at a…child? You squint your eyes, but the child is hidden with the ladies body. It’s uncomfortable, and you frown. But you can’t afford to bring attention to yourself at the moment. You look back at the pump with a weight in your chest, beginning to squeeze the handle.The screaming gets louder for a moment, and you hear terrible words being shouted at this poor child. You close your eyes, feeling your eyes start to warm up.  
  
“S-sorry…ahhh.” Its small, and meek, and holy shit can you just let this happen? You look over again. The lady has moved a bit and that…that is not a child.  
  
That’s a monster. Its standing beside the lady with a collar around its…top. It looks like a diluted little volcano. Is it crying? There are red lines going down its face from it’s eyes. Oh no. You stare at the scene as the woman berates the monster more and more. Demon. Useless. Filth. Disgusting. You begin to shake in anger, your hand cant hold down the nozzle anymore.  
  
The passenger door opens, BP standing up with a look of concern. You look at him briefly, before turning back to the screaming lady. BP must have followed your eyesight as you hear a sharp gasp.A paw grabs your arm. You look over to him with a hopeless expression.  
  
“Do something.” He whispers. “Please.” You stare at him for a minute, feeling your heart break at his tortured expression. What even can you do? You’re just a mere human. You’re powerless.But…looking at BP's desperate face...can you really not try?  
  
“Okay.” You pass the nozzle to him and walk over to the woman. _What are you doing?_  
  
“Ma’am.” You start, feeling your strict customer service voice click in. “Stop this.” The woman turns quickly to look at you with wide eyes. Her face begins to turn red. Embarrassment? Anger? Maybe both.  
  
“Well I never- this is none of you’re business.” Her voice is loud, grating.  
  
You narrow your eyes.“You’re abusing your monster!” You cry out, gesturing towards the cowering creature beside her.  
  
The woman scoffs.“It’s been nothing but trouble since I got it! Look, the little fucker burnt me!” She holds up a hand, showing a small burn across the back of it. Why was she touching it with the back of her hand? You could wager a good guess. Her eyes suddenly narrow at you. “You’re one of those damn monster fuckers, aren’t you? Loving these little freaks. Disgusting!” Oh. She’s trying to dismiss you.You take in a deep breath. There’s only one thing you can use to dispute her. Even if you don’t want to.  
  
“Actually, I own a monster too.” That was fucking difficult to even say. The woman’s eyes widen again. “He’s over there.” You gesture towards your car, where BP is filling gas and looking straight at you. “And I would _never_  treat another creature like that. There are laws against this type of thing!” Are there? Fuck if you know. “You are a disgusting person and a stain on the human race!”  
  
The woman’s face gets incredibly red. Her eyes shift back and forth between you and what you assume is a small crowd of people staring on. She reaches for her purse. Is she going to hit you? Shit, does she have a gun?  
  
“You know what. Fucking FINE!” She screams, pulling out a sheet of paper. “You deal with it then! Been nothing but trouble.” She throws the paper at the ground and marches off. You stare at the area she had been in shock. Slowly, you bend down and pick up the paper. Oh. Your eyes scan over the writing. Its a sheet talking about the monster in front of you. Vulkin? You look up at the shaking monster. The outlines of their body seem…shakier than before.  
  
“Um, hello there.”“  
  
‘Ahh…H-hello.” Their voice is merely a whisper. Now that you’re closer, you can see that the streams of red lava coming from their eyes has stopped. _What just happened?_ Did she just…give you this monster? Is that even how it works? Don’t you need to sign something? There’s no way the collar would just recognize a change in who holds a paper. Right?  
  
“Shit.” BP is at your side suddenly. He takes the steps to stand beside the Vulkin and crouches down. “Hey, you’re okay now. Don’t worry.” His paw reaches out as if to touch them, but stops. “Shit!” The Vulkin just stands there, shaking. You blink. How is it…fuzzy?  
  
BP swears a few more times before looking at you. “We need to get somewhere private. Now.” You nod immediately. BP grabs Vulkin’s hand, leading the way back to the car. BP and Vulkin sit in the back seat. You make sure the cars’ flap is closed and slide into the front seat, taking off immediately.  
  
The second you’re back on the road, a clicking sound breaks the tense silence. “what was all the-oh.” Sans pops his head out into the back seat. His eyes fall on Vulkin. You watch his eye lights get small and look back to the road. There is no more noise from the back seat, and that alone sends worry straight down your spine.  
  
_Somewhere private. Somewhere private. Where the hell is somewhere private?_  
  
The answer comes quicker than you could have hoped, in the shape of a four wheeler dirt track off the side of the road into the forest. You turn onto it, cringing at the sound of tree branches scraping the outside of the car. You drive for a few minutes down the dirt path.  
  
“stop here.” You hit the breaks and turn off the engine, immediately turning around in the seat.  
  
“Grab my bag.” BP says, pushing his arm under Vulkins. Both of the backdoors open simultaneously, and BP pulls Vulkin out of the car. You grab BP’s bag from the passenger seat floor and head out. BP has laid Vulkin down on his back. The poor volcano monster has stopped shaking, but every time you blink they get fuzzier. You notice that the monster has taken on a grey hint.  
  
“Whats…wrong with them?” You ask, coming to a stop beside Sans.  
  
“he’s fallen down.” You look over to the skeleton. Fallen down? Does that mean…  
  
BP stretches his arm out for you. Wordlessly, you pass him his bag. His eyes don’t leave Vulkins, but he reaches into the bag and pulls out a small toolkit. _When did he get that?_ He pops it open with one paw and grabs a small screwdriver. _What is he doing?_ BP starts to fiddle with the collar around Vulkins top. Turning it around, he looks for something. He slides the screwdriver into a few parts with a practiced ease. _Is he removing it?_ Hope flares in your chest. _Maybe we can free him!_  But something is itching at your mind. Information you just learned through your research into monsters and the collars. Removing an active collar kills the monster. Your eyes widen.  
  
_Removing an active collar kills the monster!_  
  
“Wait!“ You call out, lunging towards BP. You have to stop him!A bony hand grabs your arm, puling you back. You stumble and look back at Sans with panicked eyes.  
  
“he’s already dying.” The skeleton shakes his head sadly. His hand tightens over your arm for a second. You stare at Sans. He’s already dying…You look back towards Vulkin. The monster is mostly grey now, shaking heavily with each breath. His body looks so fuzzy…so…unreal.  
  
As you relax your body, Sans lets go of your arm. Your eyes rest on BP’s frantic form. What's the point of this then? You let out a sigh and close your eyes. At least Vulkin will be free now. It’s hardly a comfort. Freedom. You open your eyes. Oh, you understand. BP is giving Vulkin freedom for his last moments. You cross your arms in front of your chest. A heat begins to form behind your eyes as you watch BP do his work. In only a minute, the collar releases from around Vulkin’s top. The monsters eyes open for the first time in a while.  
  
“Ahh…” He crumbles to dust in a second.  
  
Just like that. You raise a hand to your mouth.  
  
For a solemn moment, not even the forest makes a sound.

Your vision becomes blurry as you stare at the dust. With a small sniffle, you raise your hand to rub at your eyes. BP kneels beside the dust, eyes closed and head down. The air is getting heavier. Thicker. Harder to breath.  
  
**Crrrrrr**  
  
_What is..._  
  
**BANG**  
  
You jolt, turning to the sound. A tree hits the ground hard. It’s broken in half, and glowing faintly blue. The air is crackling. Sans. You spin towards the skeleton. He’s facing the broken tree. His hands are balled into fist and emitting blue light. _Magic. Oh shit._ Fear this you hard in the chest. You freeze.  
  
“fucking _humans_.” He growls out, voice deeper and more dangerous then normal. His voice cracks with magic. He turns back towards the dust. You gasp. His eyes are completely gone. His smile is terrifying, pulled in extreme anger.Your breath comes out quicker, shakier. Your heart jumps to your throat. Memories flash before your eyes. Of a blue hood. Of pain. Of a sentence...  
  
_“ok kid, you're about to have a b a d t i m e.”_    
  
The words that haunt you at night echo through your head.  
  
_Not again._  
  
_Please no._ You begin to shake.  
  
Something grabs you from behind. You scream and turn in place, closing your eyes and flinging your arms out wildly. Theres a muffled sound of pain and the hands around you let go. You take a moment, breathing quickly, before opening your eyes.  
  
It’s BP. He’s on his back in the dirt, one eye closed in an expression of pain. Your eyes widen. “Oh my god. BP!” You’re still shaking as you crouch down beside him. “I’m so-are you okay-oh my god I’m so sorry!”  
  
He sits up. “Ugh.” A paw comes up to scratch at his ear. “You’ve got a mad punch little buddy.” BP opens his other eye again- it doesn’t look bruised _thank god_ \- and gives you a smile. He’s alright. You let out a relieved breath.  
  
A leaf crunches behind you. You flinch and turn around. _Sans_. Immediately you tense up.  
  
The skeleton has taken a step closer to you. The magic is gone, air smooth and light around you, but the fear is still real in your chest. He looks shocked, with wide eye sockets and a hand reached out towards you. His hand falls back to his side.  
  
The three of you are frozen for a long time, none daring to break the silence for fear of something going wrong.  
  
Sans takes another step forward. You lean away slightly.“Probably not a good idea Sans.” BP calls out from behind you. You have to agree with him on this point.  
  
Sans does pause, but takes another step forward. ”Sans!” Your friend growls from behind you. The growling gets louder as the skeleton doesn’t stop his approach.  You look away, breathing heavily.  
  
“come with me?” Sans' voice breaks echoes lightly. When you look up at him, he jerks his head towards the forest. Oh. A stroll in the woods with the homicidal skeleton-STOP IT. You tell yourself. _I haven't been scared of him for the past few days, right?_ But seeing that magic again, the blue that became the worst pain of your life, it sent you back to square-one. Back to the girl in the hospital willing to do anything to keep the ‘homicidal skeleton’ happy.  
  
You look over at BP. He gives you a reassuring smile. “Go on.” He whispers. “You’ll be fine. I need to do something here anyways.” His tail gestures towards the dust on the ground. Vulkin. Shit. Looking back towards Sans, you nod. You don’t trust your voice to stay steady enough. He gives you a strained smile and turns towards the forest. He walks slowly, and you eventually catch up. _Sans Is not going to hurt me._ You fall into step beside him, that phrase becoming a mantra in your mind.  
  
For a minute or two, you walk in an awkward silence. You take the time to pull yourself back together. This is _Sans_ , you haven’t been scared of him since you left the hospital, right? You take a deep breath in. Can you keep lying to yourself like this? Your mind unwillingly filters through countless sleepless nights and nightmares.  
  
“i’m sorry.” You stumble slightly at his words, brought suddenly out of your thoughts, and turn your head to stare at him. Is this really the same skeleton from the hospital? His eye lights shift to you for a moment.  
  
“You didn’t mean to scare me.” You mutter. “I don’t know what happened. I overreacted.” Oh god, this is awful. Why did you agree to this?  
  
“no, i’m sorry for hurting you…behind the diner.” You take in a deep breath. Oh… _that_.  
  
You open your mouth to say it’s your own fault (because really, you have to take a lot of the blame for that) but he shakes his head, interrupting you.“ I would of just left…but i was so angry and you were just…there, ready to take all the blame.”  
  
Well, what do you say to that? You take in a deep breath, kicking a rock out of your way as you walk. “I…I have nightmares about it.” This is the first time you’ve said it out loud. “I don’t think BP knows. He think’s I’m over it. I wish I was.”  
  
“heh, yea. i know the feeling.”  
  
The two of you continue walking in silence. You just need to…to pull yourself back together. Push everything away. Just be normal. Just be happy. Just be…  
  
You stop walking, looking down at the dirt floor with glazed eyes. Your head is full of unfinished thought, years of ignored emotions bubbling beneath the surface. Fear. Anger. Panic. Loss. Depression. Pain. You can’t hold them back anymore. You're too tired. Letting out a small sound, you crouch down and burry your face in your hands. Your shoulders are shaking.  
  
“hey.” You open your eyes behind your hands. “c’mon. look up.” It takes a minute, but you slowly let your hands down. With a deep breath, you look over to the skeleton.  
  
He’s crouched down beside you, a complex look on his face. His hand reaches out for you, pausing as you flinch. “i’m not going to hurt you again.” His voice is a whisper, softer than you’ve ever heard it. The dam breaks.  
  
You let out a sob and lean forward, crumpling into his shoulder. Sans doesn’t flinch, and you feel two bony arms wrap around you. You’d never know how long you stayed like that, ugly-crying into San’s shoulder. He doesn’t say a word the entire time, just stays there with you until your sobbing stops and your tears dry up.  
  
“M’sorry.” You pull backwards, leaning back on your own feet. He shakes his head slowly, refusing your apology. You rub at your cheeks, attempting to remove the traces of tears from them.  
  
“heh, its ok.” He replies. “we all need an outlet sometimes.”  
  
“What do you do?” That makes Sans pause. He stares at you, eye lights shrinking slightly. Then he stands up  
  
“we better get back.” You blink. Shit, how long has it been? And you still have to make the trek back too. You stand up beside him, brushing off a bit of dirt from your jeans.   
  
“i know a shortcut.” _Really? Out here?_ You look at him skeptically. “take my hand.” Stubborn traces of fear scream at you to reject this, to reject him. But well, how can you say no after all of this. The larger part of you just wants the fear to be gone.  
  
You nod, taking his hand. You feel his bony fingers wrap around yours. He gives you a smile and you’re gone.  
  
You don’t exist.  
  
Wait, you do?  
  
You’re standing and falling at the same time.  
  
Everything is black but colourful.  
  
Time is not a fact. You blink.  
  
You’re back. You let out a gasp and look around. Nope, definitely not where you had been. You’re back on the dirt road and can see the car just a bit away. “How did…”  
  
Sans smirks. “maaaagic.” A hysterical laugh threatens to bubble up in your chest. Heh, of course. The skeleton appears and disappears all the time. You just teleported with him. Holy shit. You let out a small laugh.  
  
“Magic. Right.” You shake your head. “Let’s get back.”  
  
The two of you start your way towards the car. BP is leaning against the car as you walk up. He looks nervous, and stands up quickly to stare at you both. His ears go back towards his skull as he takes in your red eyes and cheeks. You shake your head, giving him a smile and a thumbs up. He instantly relaxes, letting out a long breath. “Everything’s ready. I have the dust.”   
  
“The dust?” Your heart is hit again at the thought, that poor Vulkin was reduced to such a state. You almost feel numb. It’s been way too much emotion for one day.  
  
“monsters spread the dust of those that have fallen down over their favourite thing.” Sans mutters a bit mechanically, as if reading from a book. “that way they can live forever in it.” Huh. That’s an interesting idea. You immediately think of the people who spread their loved ones ashes in the sea or at a special place. Why did people think humans and monsters were completely different creatures?  
  
“Ready to go?” BP looks at you. You nod and the three of you move back to your positions in the car. As it turns out, you have to back out the entire way. The dirt road is way to small for you to turn around. Sans and BP help by calling out directions and warning you if you’re too close to a tree or rock. It takes a while to get back to the highway.  
  
Eventually you turn back onto the road and speed up. Sans lays back down on the back seats and BP puts his feet on the dashboard, looking through the CD’s. None of you really want to talk anymore. You glance at the CD as BP slides it in and smile. Alright. That works. You take a deep breath as the verse starts and sing along.  
  
**Hello, it's me**  
  
**I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet**  
  
**To go over**  
  
**Everything**  
  
**They say that time's supposed to heal ya**  
  
**But I ain’t done much healing**  
  
The mood is somber, and BP carefully balances a jar on his lap. Is that...Vulkin? You force yourself not to look, to just focus on the drive.  
  
Destination: New York CIty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mio Amicci ☼.☼
> 
> Bet you thought you'd seen the last of Reads being scared of Sans, lol. Unfortunately, real fear doesn't just disappear. And it hasn't disappeared after this chapter either, but she's able to deal with it...a bit more anyways.  
> That saying, there won't be too much more reader angst for a long while. A bit here and there...but not too much don't worry! She does have a backstory though that explains some stuff...we'll eventually flesh that out.
> 
> This chapter was a bit...difficult to write lol. I had so much I wanted to write but to make it cohesive was the challenge. I TRIED. 
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoy! I have a lot going on so there won't be an update till at LEAST Monday! Maybe a few bonuses if you're good ;) They'll be posted to saltedpeppermintmocha.tumblr.com waaay before on here tho! Thank you SO much for your overwhelming support!
> 
> -J♡
> 
> Next Chapter Teaser: They make it to the city, and see an old friend ;)


	18. The Calzone

Anxiety grows stronger in your chest as you get closer to New York City. Part of you is excited (naturally as you’ve never been) but the realistic side of you keeps insisting that this isn’t a vacation. You wont get to see the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building or any of those other ‘touristy’ places.  
  
That doesn’t stop you from staring wistfully at the billboard signs you pass. Mettaton is on a large amount of them, from advertisements for cooking equipment to the Mettaton the Musical the The Movie marketing. BP stares at each one as you pass, his ears up and eyes wide. Sans for once doesn’t seem as interested. He looks over at what BP is watching and scoffs, laying back across the seats.  
  
Eventually, Sans sits back up. His hood is over his head, likely protection from people beside you in traffic. He directs you to take an exit in a few miles. With a sigh, you begin to merge into the next lane. It takes you a while (you’re a cautious driver) and so you miss your exit. You manage to take the next one. Sans is able to direct you from there. Half an hour later, you notice the buildings are beginning to look a bit more…grubby. You wonder exactly where the skeleton was taking you. He hadn’t been too forthcoming with answers about the arrangements here.  
  
You’re at a red light, curiously watching a prostitute when Sans tells you its the apartment on the right. You turn down Spoffard street and pull up into the parking lot. With a small sigh you turn off the engine. Not the worst place you have been, but still.  
  
“How do we have a place here?” BP voices your own concerns, turning around in his seat. “Did you call ahead?”  
  
“no.” His eye lights don’t meet your eyes. You narrow yours. What is going on? “this place is…not exactly legal.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “the owner put me up on short notice last time i was here, not many places will rent to monsters ya know.”  
  
He opens the door and slides out. BP and you share a look, before following suit. You grab you stuff (no WAY you were just leaving it in a car) and follow Sans into the building. The first thing you notice is the old carpet and musty smell. The area is bright and spacious, but it smells like it hasn’t been clean in decades. The three of you walk up to a door labelled ‘office’ and open the door. Inside, a man is sitting behind a desk fiddling with his phone. He jumps as the door swings open.  
  
“H-hey!” He looks up, shocked. His eyes fall on Sans. “Whoaa, skeleton dude! You’re back!” He gives a yellow smile.  
  
“hey jonah.” Sans takes a few steps forward. “got any room?” He’s tense, not even bothering with small talk.  
  
“For all three o’ ya?” Jonah puts a hand to his mouth. “Suuree. Rent gone up. Three thousand.”  
  
“Three thousand a month?!” You’re shocked. “Thats a rip off, and you know it!”  
  
Jonah’s yellow smile is back, slightly creepier this time. “Or I s’ppose I coulda jus’ call up the police and tell ‘em bout some skeleton without a collar.”  
  
You’re stunned into silence. He’s _right_ , you’re taking a risk even being here. Sans turns to look at you for a moment. He wasn’t putting up a fight for the money. He lets out a breath and looks back at Jonah. “you don’t want the police up in here.” He says. “we’ll do two thousand.”  
  
Between all of you, you are only one hundred dollars short of the rent. You and BP have to walk down to the Sunoco gas station a few blocks away for money. You naturally walk closer to BP. No one bothers you, but you do get quite a few…odd looks. BP has his hood up now, and you wish you had one to put up as well. The gas station wont due cash back, and the ATM there takes an extra seven dollars for usage fees. Figures.  
  
Half an hour later, you meet Sans back at the apartment and wait for Jonah. You’re tired, and even a floor to sleep on sounds perfect. Eventually he shows up and leads you passed the broken elevator towards the stairs. The fifth floor apartment is furnished. Its the first thing that takes you by surprise. It also doesn’t look dirty. You sigh in relief. Jonah hands you the keys and leaves quickly.  
  
“It’s not so bad…” You mutter, putting your bag down.  
  
BP immediately goes to look around. “Two bedrooms!” He calls out, sounding happier than he’s seemed since you got into the city. You smile. Okay, you can work with this.  
  
“sorry about the price.” You look over at Sans. He still hasn’t lowered his hood. “it’s really…the only place that will do month to month with monsters, even collared ones.”  
  
You shake your head. “It’s okay.” He seems a bit surprised at your answer. “It just means we have to find them quickly, work extra hard.” Your nervous smile is returned. “So, who gets the rooms?”  
  
“i’ll take the couch.” The skeleton shrugs. “i don’t sleep much anyways.” You frown, but know better at this point then to ask about it. He never answers, and always seems more tense after you ask.  
  
With the room situation taken care of, the three of you go to ‘personalize’ your new living area. You place all the left over food (mostly granola bars and gummy fruit packs at this point) in the cupboards and head towards the bedroom. BP has taken the smaller one, leaving you the ‘master bedroom’. It’s not too big either, but you’re still pleasantly surprised.  
  
You hadn’t brought much, mostly clothing and your laptop. With a small sigh you begin to put away your clothing and toiletries.  
  
Sans and BP are talking on the couch when you come back in. They stop immediately and look at you. You immediately get the feeling that you’re not supposed to know what they are talking about. It annoys you a bit, because honestly you’re putting everything on the line for this. But…in the end you understand. This is a lot bigger than just BP or you or even Sans.  
  
You force a smile. “Anyone else hungry? Let’s explore!” It’s only two o’clock, but daylight savings time has started and you get the feeling that you don’t want to be walking around here much at dark. BP nods slowly, an glances at Sans.  
  
Then you realize. “Oh, OH.” Sans can’t actually go out. “I’m so sorry Sans, let’s order in okay?”  
  
“nah, go have fun.” The skeleton shrugs. “just bring me back something good…with ketchup.” He gives a lazy wink. You still feel bad at the idea of leaving him. Maybe he’ll get some sleep if he’s alone? Eh…probably not.  
  
BP gracefully pushes himself up from the couch and walks towards his bedroom. Getting the collar? You stand in an awkward silence for a moment. Then an idea forms in your mind. You’ve thought about it before but there was never really a situation to bring it up. But now…  
  
“If you…” You avoid looking straight at him. “If you ever want to…you know…go out or something. We can figure something out, use the fake collar or-“  
  
“no.” Its strict and final. “i’m never putting on one of those again.” His words are on the edge of anger. You look up. He’s not looking at you, but at his hands.  
  
“Aaand thats totally okay!” You force a big smile on your face. “Just forget I even mentioned it.”  
  
BP takes that moment to come out of the bedroom, breaking the tension in the room. He has his hood up and the collar on. The familiar pit in your stomach returns seeing him in it, but he seems almost nonchalant about it now. “Ready to go little buddy?” He asks, tilting his head.  
  
You give him a smile and nod, grabbing your purse from where you left it near the door and sliding on your shoes and jacket. You give one last look at Sans before you close the door behind you. He is still looking at his hands. There is nobody around the building as you walk out. It’s both a relief and a slight cause of concern. BP sticks close to you and you make it to your car. You both slide in.  
  
“So, what food are you feeling?”  
  
“Not pizza.” He mutters. You laugh a bit. New York was known for its pizza, was it not? You kind of wanted to try it, but you can wait. The two of you decide to drive around until you find a place.  
  
It turns out that finding a place is a lot harder than you’d imagined. A huge majority of them had huge ‘NO MONSTER’ signs on the outside, and those that didn't looked run-down or unappetizing. BP looks more and more put-out as you drive.  
  
Finally, you find a place with no sign. Its a pizza place, but you don’t think BP cares at this point. It seems nice enough too. You drive around a bit to find a parking spot. The one you pick is just a few blocks from the restaurant. You bring BP into conversation as you walk, attempting to lighten the mood.  
  
The restaurant smells amazing. Your stomach starts to growl immediately and you take in a deep breath. A person in a uniform comes out from the back. “Hello! Welcome to the Majors. For two?” You let out a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding and nod.  
  
The waitress takes you over to a table and asks for any drink orders. You order water and BP asks for milk. The waitress gives a nod and a smile before leaving. The two of you sit in silence.  
  
“Holy shit.” You mutter. “We’re in New York.”  
  
BP lets out a snort. “Yea…we are.” He is certainly less impressed than you are.  
  
“I never thought I’d ever get to New York.” You smile. “Did you know that New York is famous for its pizza? I hope this place tastes as good as it smells!" You pick up your menu and look at it. So many options. They have stuff other than pizza. Good. BP wont get too sick of it then.  
  
“Alright.” You put the menu down. “I’m getting a chicken parmigiana calzone.” BP puts his menu down not long after you, deciding to order a penne linguini.  
  
The waitress comes by quickly, taking your order. Your food is out only fifteen minutes later. It’s delicious. BP seems to enjoy his a lot too. You make a mental note to return to this place for actual pizza.It is great to actually get to talk to BP for a while. You notice that this is the first time you’ve eaten out together…other than at the diner. But that was more ‘shared lunch breaks’ then ‘dinner’. BP seems more at ease in the open than you’ve ever seen.  
  
Of course, thats when something happens.You’ve noticed this girl before. During dinner she looks over every few minutes. At first, you think she looks upset about BP being a monster. Then you realize her looks are…more curious than angry. You don’t confront her.  
  
You order a pizza and some desert for Sans half way through your meal so it will be ready for takeout. By the time the two of you are done, the pizza is in a box at your table. You pay at the table and begin to pack up to leave.  
  
“Wait, sorry!” The girl runs up behind you. “Can I get a picture with your monster?”  
  
What? You stare at her, shocked. She wants a picture with…BP? “Why?”  
  
“I’ve never seen a cat monster before! Only in online forums. They’re so rare. So…hot!” Her eyes look over BP. You can see him from the corner of your eyes slide his hood back up. “Does he have a tail? The things I could do to him. And the ears! Ahh…but a picture will do for now!”  
  
You glance fully over at BP. Something is wrong. His eyes are completely dilated, paws clenching and unclenching over and over. “No.”  
  
“What?” She's already pulling out her phone.  
  
“No. You cannot take a picture of him.” You all but growl at the girl. Her cheeks start to turn red, and she opens her mouth. You turn and grab BPs paw, lightly pulling him behind you out of the restaurant. He follows without any resistance.  
  
You turn to face him as you exit the restaurant. “Hey…are you okay?” BP doesn't answer. The paw in your hand is shaking slightly. _What just happened?_ “BP?”  
  
BP suddenly looks at you. His eyes take a moment to focus, as if he was in a dream. “Can we go back?” His voice Is quiet and tense. You barely hesitate before nodding. Neither of you let go of each others hand as you walk towards the car.  
  
The good mood hasn’t returned by the time you make it to the apartment. You had put on music in the car in the hopes of cheering him up, but the monster seemed lost in memories. It really worries you, and you resolve to ask him about it later…when he’s less torn up about it.  
  
The two of you pass Jonah on the way in. The man is talking loudly on the phone and only gives you a yellow smile as you pass. You awkwardly smile back.  
  
BP suddenly stops. “No…” He whispers, eyes narrowing. “It can’t be.” You glance over. His ears are twitching wildly. He’s listening intently to something.  
  
Your heart starts to pick up. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nononononono…” He bolts for the stairs, voice getting quieter as he disappears from sight. You watch him for a moment before running after him. Your heart is in your throat. _What could get THAT reaction?_  
  
BP is long gone when you reach the staircase. You regret not exercising more as you have to pause a few times running up the flights. Eventually you reach the top and head down the hallway, breathing still a bit rough.You turn the corner and pause. What is going on here? BP and Sans are both outside of the apartment, talking to an… uncollared monster? Neither of them seem too happy about it, which puts you more on edge.  
  
“KA-sigh” The saucer monster calls out, licking its fingers. _Gross._ You approach carefully. The monster looks up at you. “Who are you?” It looks very unimpressed. Sans and BP glance up at you briefly, but say nothing. You give an awkward wave and introduce yourself. The monster scoffs and glances away. “Looks stupid.”  
  
_What?!_ You narrow your eyes and open your mouth to give this little shit a piece of your mind because what the fuck how rude can a guy be to your face like show some class and talk behind your back or something this is just so rude and- A paw on your arm breaks you from your angry thoughts. “This is Jerry.” BP mutters.  
  
You don’t like Jerry. “What is he doing here?”  
  
“he’s out new neighbour.” Sans looks all too amused by your reaction to Jerry. The monster in question is continuing to lick some powdered substance off his finger. Ugh. “he wants to come for dinner.”  
  
“It’s only polite.” Jerry rolls his eyes. You open your mouth to protest (this pizza was for Sans, not some little rude monster) but pause. Is this some sort of monster custom? Invite your neighbour over to dinner? But usually it’s the current resident that invites the new one over, right? Then again…do you really want to go to Jerry’s place? You glance at Sans who just shrugs. Shit. Maybe this IS some sort of monster custom.  
  
Without a word you walk by the monsters and open the door to the apartment. You can hear three pairs of feet following you inside. You quickly hide the pastry box in the cupboard and lay out the pizza on the table.  
  
Ten minutes later you find yourself sitting around a small kitchen table with three monsters, looking at Jerry in disgust as he somehow gets pizza sauce all over his body. Your anger has mostly worn off at this point.  
  
“So…Jerry…” You still don’t want him in your house. “When do you think you’ll be heading home?”  
  
“Are you trying to ditch me?” Jerry pauses, staring straight at you. His tone is…serious, and angry.  
  
You backtrack immediately. “Uh, no. I was just curious.” The change in the monsters demeanour sends a shiver down your spine. “It’s been a long day so I think we’d all like to head to bed soon.” You look over at Sans, who raises an eyebrow bone at you but plays along and nods. BP hasn’t been paying attention to the conversation at all, just staring quietly at the clock in the corner.  
  
“Hmph.” The monster shifts back to a less serious face. “WELL, I SUPPOSE I could leave now. But then I wouldn’t get desert-“  
  
“We don’t really have any desert…” You lie, remembering the pastries you’d picked up from the pizzeria.  
  
Jerry continues. “And if I leave now, I can’t tell you the info that I have.” What the fuck does that mean? Does he have information on the MRC? "It's good info too."  
  
Well fuck. “Actually now that I think of it…” You stand up, turning towards the cupboards. “I might have some chocolate croissants left.”  
  
“Wow, you SUCK at this.” Jerry laughs meanly, watching as you scramble to grab the pastries from the cupboard. You pause. The little shit head played you. Fuck. As you turn around, you see Sans’ shoulders shaking a bit. He's laughing. You narrow your eyes at him, but he just grins at you. You groan as you place the pastry in front of Jerry. “You better have some damn information.”  
  
Jerry hums to himself and starts to eat the pastry in silence. Your tension grows more and more as you watch him. “Seriously. I will literally kick you out of this apartment if you don’t start talking.”  
  
"I got info on the Angels.” _Angels?_  
  
“Wait. What?!” BP suddenly returns to the conversation. His leans forward towards Jerry. “Say that again?” Even Sans is sitting straighter, looking at the saucer monster. For a long moment, Jerry says nothing. “jerry. now. ” Sans’ deep voice is a lot more terrifying than BP’s. Jerry actually looks up.  
  
“SHHH! I’m THINKING, guys!!” He waves his sauce covered hands in the air. He waits another few moments before talking. “Theres a monster that works at the Dairy King on West 14th Street. He works for them…or with them. I don’t know.”  
  
“That’s not really a lot Jerry.” You narrow your eyes. But both BP and Sans seem shocked by the information. BP’s mouth is open in surprise, ears and tail twitching. Sans is looking off into the distance and you can almost see the quantity of thoughts going through his skull.  
  
Jerry looks incredibly please with himself, and gives you a smug look. You stick out your tung at him. Childish, but warranted.He stuffs the rest of the pastry in his mouth, chewing with his mouth open. You cringe visibly.   
  
“I’m ditching YOU now.” The saucer monster smirks, then gets up and walks out, likely leaving sticky fingerprints on areas of the house. You shudder at the thought.  
For a long while, nobody speaks. Both the monsters seem deep in thought.  
  
“We have to go see this guy.” BP mutters.  
  
“yea” Sans replies." i havent had word about the angels in too long..."  
  
“Guys?” You look between the two. “What are the Angels?"  
  
Oh. Wow. Both the monsters turn towards you quickly, giving you a panicked expression. Did they forget you were hear? Ouch. Neither of them speak, and look at each other for a moment. The air is thick, atmosphere awkward. 

 _I'm not supposed to know about this, huh?_  
  
A pain begins in your chest. You've known that they have been keeping secrets, you're no idiot. But having it RIGHT here, and being shut out by your best friend and...whatever Sans is turning out to be, hurts. REALLY hurts. You press your lips together.   
  
"Uhh, okay." You mutter, standing up from the table. "Nevermind then." You turn to walk away. A small whine comes from BP, but you don't look his way. You don't want to see his face right now.   
  
You're stopped in your tracks by a hand closing around your wrist. You look down. Oh, it's skeletal. Sans? Your eyes follow up his arm to his skull. He's looking right at you. His eyes lock onto your eyes. He lets out a long breath.   
  
“sit down.” He says. “i’ll tell you about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE JERRY IS THE OLD FRIEND! Sorry not sorry hahaha.  
> This chapter is mostly set up for the next few. I've also left a lot of hints as to Sans and BP's backstory. 
> 
> But the next chapter will include TWO new Undertale characters that you guys are most likely going to be happy to see haha! So look forward to that! It'll come out tomorrow or Friday!
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Thank you so much for all the support!
> 
> -J <3


	19. The McRonalds

Ughh. Pale morning light hits your eyes as they open. You blink a few times and yawn loudly. _Why am I awake?_  
  
**I’m walking on sunshine, woah**  
  
Ah, that’s why. With a small groan, you turn over and reach out blindly for your phone. You grab it and pull it towards your face. 7:45am. _Why did I set an alarm?_ You stare at your phone for a minute with half-lidded eyes, sleepy mind attempting to figure out this puzzle.  
  
Oh!  
  
The Dairy King. The Angels. Your eyes snap open completely and you sit up. Another yawn forces its way out as you stretch your arms above your head. You slide out of bed and pocket your phone, heading out the door.  
  
**And don’t it feel good! (Hey)**  
  
You don’t hear BP walking about, so you turn down the song a bit and walk towards the kitchen for some coffee. Where Sans had found an instant coffee maker, you’d never know. He couldn't exactly have bought it.  
  
Rubbing at your eyes, you enter the kitchen and beeline for the coffee maker. You hum along to the song as you grab a mug -luckily, the apartment HAD come with some dishes, although you needed to thouroughly wash them last night. Swaying back and forth to the music, you slide it under the spout and hit ‘on’.  
  
You turn around to lean on the counter, and startle slightly as you see Sans sitting at the table. He’s staring at you with one raised eyebrow bone, a mug of coffee(?) in his hand. You consider being embarrassed, but are really not up to it right now. So tired.  
  
Instead, you stare down the skeleton, who makes a show of bringing the mug to his mouth. Luckily it’s time for the chorus again. In the most deadpan voice you can manage, you sing along. “I'm walking on sunshine. Wooah.”  
  
Sans’s eyes widen and he snorts, having to put the mug back down. A sense of triumph blooms in your chest.  
  
“well that was _off-key_.”  
  
The machine behind you beeps, so you turn back around. “ Don’t comment on someone’s singing Sans. It’ll only lead to _treble_.”  
  
A deep chuckle sends shivers up your back. “how _clef-fer_.”  
  
You stop the music and take your mug from the machine, turn back to the skeleton with a smirk. “People tell me I’m quite _sharp_.” Pulling out a chair, you sit opposite the skeleton. You look down at you coffee, wishing you had a bit of milk or sugar or anything to dilute it.  
  
“impressive.” Those eye lights are bigger then you’ve ever seen them. Huh. “musical puns usually _fall flat_.”  
  
“I learned a few instruments as a kid.” You reply. “I’m more _in tune_ with them than most people.”  
  
Sans’ eyes light up more. He looks like he’s about to reply. But a groan from behind you stops him. You turn around. BP is leaning against the doorframe, a tired and unimpressed look on his face. “Seriously? At eight in the morning?”  
  
He sighs, walking over to the cupboard and grabbing a few granola bars.You put your hand out as he sits down beside you and he dutifully passes you a granola bar. “Thanks!" With a small smile, you begin to eat it.  
  
For a few moments, you’re all silent. By the time you finish the granola bar, the coffee has cooled enough to drink. You manage to chug it down.Oh god, you need to pick up some milk. Sans chuckles at your scrunched up face. You glare at him as you slam down the mug on the table. He raises an eyebrow bone, and takes a huge swig of his own. _Damnit._  
  
Admitting defeat, you stand up and place the mug in the sink. You begin to walk back towards the bathroom. “I’ll be ready in half an hour. Does that work with you?”BP gives you a thumbs up before laying his face down on the table. You give a fond smile and continue towards the bathroom.  
  
You skip shaving and all the unnecessary bits today, deciding to throw your hair up in a bun. When you get out of the shower, you wrap a towel around yourself and walk into the bedroom. You sit down on the wooden desk chair and open the laptop. Sans had set up the internet last night.You open up Goggle maps and type in the Dairy King address. An hour away. That’s not…too bad. For New York City. Still you groan.  
  
Half an hour later, you say a goodbye to Sans- who just gives a lazy wave back from the couch- and head off towards the 6 line. You take only one wrong turn, but correct yourself quickly. BP just follows along beside you.  
  
Luckily, the station is only a few minutes away. The first thing you do is look for a ticket station. It turns out that Monster tickets are more expensive. You sigh as you buy a few tickets for you and BP. You follow the signs down into the station.Luckily, a train is coming in the next five minutes. You wait as the station gets more and more crowded. You are the first two on the cart as it opens, and you snag a two-seater beside a window. Perfect.  
  
The train starts. You look out the window…but it’s mostly black. You look back at BP. He seems uninterested, lost in his own little world. You turn back towards the window. After a few minutes, your mind travels back to last nights talk.  
  
————-  
  
**_You almost regret sitting back down. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and BP looks increasingly awkward. He opens his mouth a few times, but nothing comes out._**  
  
**_“So…” You prompt, looking over to Sans. The skeleton doesn’t look awkward or unsure. His face is unreadable, eye lights mere pinpricks._**  
  
**_“the angels are…”Sans starts suddenly. You sit up straight. “our last hope.”_**  
  
**_Well…that was not informative. But you say nothing. Just wait._**  
  
**_When it looks as if Sans is not going to respond, BP jumps in. “They’re a group of, uh, monsters…that are preparing for war?”_**  
  
**_“War?” You exclaim, panicked._**  
  
**_Both monsters eyes widen. BP puts up his paws. “Bad wording, sorry! Not exactly a war but…” His ears go flat on his head.“Sans, help me out here!”_**  
  
**_“not a war.” Sans jumps in quickly. “listen kid, it’s been ten years now and nothing has changed. monsters are dying daily. we need to stop it. the angels are a last resort, a last stand.”_**  
  
**_It makes sense. Complete sense. But a shiver still goes down your spine. “How?”_**  
  
**_“the monster candy is only a small part of it.” Sans’ finger bones tap against the table. “what will happen when the monsters are free? something big, something the humans cannot ignore…” He fades out, looking at the wall._**  
  
**_“What’s going to happen?"_**  
  
**_Sans shakes his head. “i don’t know. i haven’t seen any of the angels in years. even back then the plan was changing every few months.” He sighs, shoulders drooping. He looks…sad. You wonder if he was friends with any of these ‘Angels’._**  
  
**_“Who are they?” You whisper._**  
  
**_“those who are trustworthy.” Thats…a weird way of saying it. You blink slowly._**  
  
**_The three of you sit in silence for a while. The monsters look deep in thought, but you find yourself unable to think too deeply into it. You probably will, tonight. You bet you’ll be up into the wee hours of the morning, overanalyzing every bit of information. For now though, you’ll reach over to grab BP’s paw. You’ll send him a smile, let him know that this information isn’t changing anything._**  
  
**_You’ve already chosen a side._**  
  
————-  
  
You lean your head against the window with a sigh. You had been right. It was around 4am when you finally fell asleep. And honestly, all your overanalyzing had not been fruitful. You still felt as lost as you did the other day.  
  
**[to Debbie]: Pls answer me :(**  
  
You sigh, sliding your phone back into your jacket pocket. Her replies have come more and more scarce in the past week, and you haven’t got a response from her since you skipped town. It’s not…unusual of Debbie to get caught up in her work, but you’re very worried.  
  
The sign turns to Union Square Station, and you stand up. BP stands up right after you, arm brushing harshly against yours. He’s nervous, but you can't really be surprised. He’s in a fake collar, surrounded by a lot of humans.  
  
The two of you manage to get off the train quickly, and follow a line of people out of the station. Walking out, you can't help but pause. Oh. _Huh._ You honestly expected more skyscrapers and billboards. Instead, all you can see a Hole Foods store across from an outside market. It looks remarkably…unremarkable.  
  
Someone bumps into BP harshly, throwing him into you. You stumble, barely catching your balance. By the time you look up, you can’t even see the offender anymore. You glance at BP, who just shrugs. With a sigh, you run your hand through your hair.  
  
“Alright, we need to find 54 West 14th Street.” You mutter, beginning to walk around. BP follows you, silently. He’s been silent the entire trip. It’s a huge difference, and unnerves you quite a bit.  
  
You manage to find it just two blocks from the station, sandwiched between a Four Guys and a Wine shop. You and BP share a nervous smile before you head on up and open the door. The inside….frankly looks like every other Dairy King you’ve been in.  
  
“Oh! Sorry folks! I didn’t mean to- oh!” You turn around to see the second person who has bumped into you today.  _Oh_.  
  
A small smile forms on your face. It’s not a human. It’s a monster. He’s blue. A blue bunny. Thats the first thing you notice. The third thing you notice is the shocked look on his face as he looks at you. No. Not you. At BP.  
  
You glance over to your friend. His face mimics the other monster: wide eyed and mouth open. His tail begins to swish behind his back. “Burgy!” Suddenly the monster in front of you lurches forward. You’re forced to step back as the blue monster pulls BP into a hug. For a moment BP does nothing and you worry that you’ll have to step in and pull the monster off him.  
  
Then, suddenly, he relaxes. You watch as BP’s arms come around the blue monsters waist, actually pulling him further into the hug. Your eyes skip up to BP’s face. Oh...wow. He’s smiling. It’s the biggest smile you’ve ever seen on his face. The meaning is clear, and you feel a weird warmth begin to form in your chest. They know each other. Long lost friends perhaps? Even if this monster isn’t who Jerry was telling you about, you’re very happy that you came.  
  
The hug ends after a few minutes, and the blue monster takes a step away. He looks up at BP with a huge smile, which falters quite a bit as his eyes fall on the collar. “Oh…Burgy.” He reaches up towards it slightly, but stops himself. “I’m so sorry.” There is complete sorrow in his voice. Suddenly, the monster turns towards you. His eyes narrow slightly, smile tighter than before.  
  
Well shit. He thinks that you own BP. While you don’t care what humans thought…you really don’t want BP’s friend thinking that you are THAT kind of person. You can’t really say anything about it here -there are people and cameras all about- but you physically cringe under the weight of those eyes.  
  
Suddenly BP is right beside you again. When did he? You didn’t even see him move. He places a paw on your shoulder. You glance up at him. His face is pulled into an easy smile. “Guy, this is _____.” The blue monster -Guy- looks between you and BP, searching for something. After a tense minute, his eyes open completely and his smile becomes more genuine.  
  
“Hi!” He holds out a paw. “Nice to meet you!” You take his paw without hesitation, shaking it. Guy’s smile widens.  
  
“Can you move?” A voice from behind reminds you that you’ve been standing in the doorway for the last five minutes. Guy lets out a laugh and asks you to follow him. He leads you to an empty corner booth.  
  
“I have my break in ten minutes!” You only then notice his uniform. Oh. The only difference between his uniform and the others is the collar around his neck. Just looking at it makes you uncomfortable. “Just wait here!” And he disappears.  
  
“So I’m guessing you knew each other?” You prompt after a few minutes of silence. BP startles slightly. You’re question must have brought him out of deep thought.  
  
“Yea.” He sighs. “He used to be a Nice Cream vendor.” You chuckle a bit. Of course he’d end up at a Dairy King. _Wait. Did he say NICE cream?_ You want to ask, but he continues on. “He used to come see me during my breaks. He’d come in and ask stuff like ‘what do you think of this joke for my next ice cream wrapper?’. And to tell you the truth little buddy, they weren’t even CLOSE to jokes. Anyway I, uh, just told him that they are all good, because he’d give me the nice cream for free afterwards…”  
  
“Aww, haha, that’s cute.” You reply, amused by your friends story. You _wish_  someone brought you ice cream during your breaks. Then again…you could always have just taken some. Luke wouldn’t have cared. Hmm.  
  
BP’s eyes widen at your words. “Uh, t-thats not-“ He stutters, looking away. You stare at him, confused. _What just happened?_ The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes. You turn your head to watch the restaurant. It’s all human, both the workers and customers. Maybe Guy is the only monster? You hope he’s the one that Jerry was talking about.  
  
“Hey!” Guy appears at the side of the booth. “They let me take my break a few minutes early.” He slides in beside BP.  
  
For a moment, the monster is silent. When he speaks again, it’s in a much quieter voice. “I’m assuming here, that there is a lot more to the relationship between you two then it seems.”  
  
_Uhh?_ “We’re not…together…” You say, glancing over at BP. You’ve never even considered him in that way.  
  
Guy laughs a bit at your response. “ Oh gosh no. I mean as a monster and human.” It takes a moment for you to realize what he is getting at. As a monster and human. As a owner and collared monster. He’s asking if you own BP. _Oh._  
  
“Oh, yea. You’re right in that assumption.” You reply, speaking in the same words as the monster had already. The place is full of ears, and walls can talk. Guy looks over at BP, who nods with a smile.  
  
“So…” You pause. How to word this? You don’t even want to say the word ‘angels’, unknowing how risky this is. “A monster named Jerry told us you were here, we were wondering if you had some information?”  
  
Guys eyes instantly widen, his ears going down slightly. “She knows about the…?!” BP nods. “Oooh boy. I won’t tell anyone, but that was a really bad idea.” He glances at you. “No offence.” You nod, a bit uncertain. “But the…the bosses won’t be too happy.”  
  
The bosses? Guy sounds like an old mafia movie. BP puts his paws up in front of him. “Hey, it wasn’t my idea. I mean, I wanted to. But it was Sans who told her.”  
  
Guy blinks. “Sans did?” He pauses for a moment, in thought. Then his ears go up and his mouth opens into a grin. “That should be fine then! The bosses can’t really get mad at him. I'm surprised that he said anything though...”  
  
“So…” You prompt. “What can you tell us?”  
  
Guys’ ears go down. “Uh, not much unfortunately. Not here anyways.”  
  
You 'hmm' slightly. An idea pops into your head. “Alright then. Want to come over to our apartment?” You ask. Guy seems a bit surprised at your offer. “We can order food?”  
  
Guy glances at BP, who shrugs. Whats with monsters and their ‘looks’? They seem to communicate so much without speaking.  
  
“Okay!” Guy’s smile is back. “I’ll just need to talk to King. He’s the manager of the store and well… my owner?” He seems a bit unsure. He takes a look at your confused face and continues. “Technically I’m owned by Dairy King, the corporation, but King is sort of my…caretaker? It’s weird.”  
  
The way Guy talks about it is unsettling. Maybe it’s because of BP and Sans but the way he says ‘my owner’ so casually….You get shivers. The monster stands up, letting you know that he’d be back soon with King. Well, at least you know he’s excited about coming over.  
  
You slide out of the booth as well. If you’re meeting a slave owner, you don’t want to be sitting down. BP slides to the edge of his side of the bench. True to his word, Guy returns only a minute later with a towering man. King? He takes a look at you and frowns, before looking over at BP. You notice how his frown lessens as he see’s BP’s collar.  
  
“I ‘ere ya wanna take Guy some’ere?” The accent is thick, and you take a moment before answering.  
  
“Yes sir.” _Customer service voice don’t fail me now._ “It seems that your monster and my monster are friends. I think it would do them good. I’ll have him back the next morning, whenever you need.”  
  
“I need ‘im ‘ere ta open.” King’s face doesn’t change. “ 10am. Sharp.” You nod. “But not t’day. Call me when ya want ‘im.” He holds out his hand. You stare at it. It takes you a second to realize he wants your phone. You grab it from your pocket and unlock it, handing it over.  
  
You sincerely hope that King isn’t going through any of your pictures. He’s taking a long time, but you’re too intimidated to ask. “Where d’ya put in numbers?” Oh, oh he just doesn’t know how to work it. A sharp string of relief hits you.  
  
You walk up to him, and guide him into finding your ‘contact list’. He takes a long time to put in his number and name, but you don’t rush him. Eventually he finishes, and he hands you back your phone. You slide it into your pocket and give him a smile. King doesn’t reciprocate, and turns around to walk back towards the ‘Staff Only’ door. _Well, alright then._  
  
When you turn back, Guy is hugging BP. When he lets go, he turns to you. You give him a big smile and open your mouth to say ‘see ya’ when you’re pulled into a tight hug as well. You don’t imagine the ‘thank you’ whispered into your ear.  
  
You leave the Dairy King feeling incredibly better then before. Kings’ number is in your phone, and you plan to text him tonight to set up everything. Sooner the better. It bothers you that you have to go through Guys 'owner' in order to see him.   
  
For now you have a long subway ride back to the apartment. It really isn’t as bad as you had thought when you got there. The water was not the best and you had to run it for a few minutes before it became clear, and you saw a few mice running thought the lobby this morning (at least you HOPE they were mice) but the apartment wifi works well…and really, that’s all you need.  
  
You assume BP will make use of his newfound privacy when you get back. It must be nice to suddenly have his own space. What will you do then? Maybe you’ll watch a movie? You let out a deep breath. There weren’t too many interesting movies left to watch. That’s all you’ve been doing since the hospital, really. Its so boring when you’re alone.  
  
You pause suddenly, stepping to the side to avoid being run over by someone _again_. BP follows suit, looking at you in confusion.“We don’t need to go back just yet.” You say. “We’re in New York! Let’s go see Times Square!”  
  
“What?” BP tilts his head. “Why?”  
  
“I just want to…have fun for a bit?” You look up at BP with pleading eyes. “It’s been a rough couple of months. I always feel like something is going to go wrong. Can’t we just…enjoy this a bit?”  
  
BP stares at you with wide eyes. After a moment, he lets out a long breath and shrugs. “Sure, little buddy.” He gives you a smile. “Sounds good.”  
  
————  
  
“Woah…” You look up at the giant golden statue. You get flashes of memories of movies that take place right here. _Wow._  
  
“I don’t get it…” BP mutters. “I mean, its pretty I guess.”  
  
“It’s just a famous sight. Thats all.” You reply. “I wish we were here in the winter. They put up the biggest Christmas tree you could imagine, full of shining lights and tinsel and a skating rink and everything. Its super pretty.” You let out a dreamy sigh.  
  
The two of you wander around the Rockefeller centre for a few more minutes. Times Square had been cool to see in person, but even the nearby McRonalds had seemed more expensive. You both had grabbed some snacks, promising to order something a bit more healthy for dinner. By now it’s getting late. You should be heading back. The two of you lean against a nearby wall while you bring up your phone, using Goggle Maps to find your way back to the apartment.  
  
A cheer starts to arise around you, causing you to look up. People are bolting towards the right. You blink a few times and turn your head towards where the mob is heading.  
  
_Oh. Oh WOW_.  
  
It’s Mettaton.  
  
The robot is standing there, a foot taller than any of the humans. He’s looks…just as beautiful as in the movies and specials. You feel a little starstruck. He has on a definitely designer coat and is wrapping a scarf around his neck as a piece of paper is shoved into his face. You can’t hear what he says, but he smiles and takes the paper.The crowd around him begins to scream again.  
  
“Wow, I didn’t know a group could get so high pitched.” You joke, looking over at BP. He is staring at Mettaton with wrapt attention. You wait a moment, but the monster doesn’t look away. “I can go try to get an autograph if you want?”  
  
That causes BP to look away. “No thanks, little buddy.” He says, pushing off from the wall. “I’m just surprised to see him again.”  
  
“Again?” You push yourself off from the wall as well, and begin to walk away from the crowd. BP follows beside you.  
  
“Yea, well…” He rubs at one of his arms with a paw. He’s wearing one of your coats, but maybe you need to find him a thicker one. “Last time I saw him in person, he was yelling at me.” He puts on a dramatic Mettaton voice. “ ’being above ground doesn’t mean you get any more sick days.’” He snorts.  
  
That answered…nothing. BP looks down at you. “Oh, I never said.” He laughs. “He used to be my boss.”  
  
You stop in your tracks. “What?!” That…can’t be possible?  
  
Mettaton COULDN’T have been BP’s boss. You’ve read the reports, seen the TV interviews. The robot was a prisoner, an experiment put on by the monsters to escape. A horrible experiment on a human soul out of desperation. Mettaton is human…  
  
Right?  
  
“Shit.” BP’s face is serious all of a sudden. “Listen little buddy, you can’t tell anyone that.” He groans, rubbing at his face. “It’s not…not a thing that humans should know. I'll tell you about it back at the apartment. Not here.”  
  
Mind reeling, you look back at the crowd. Mettaton is still talking to fans, although his security team is starting to push them away. If the robot isn’t a human soul… is he a monster soul? What is he? And if he isn’t a human soul, and the monsters all lied… then there is a free monster. A single free monster not hunted down by the MRC, and loved by humans all over the world. You think on the various interviews you’ve seen of the robot.  
  
Shit. He’s a better actor then you thought.  
  
You watch as the robot begins to walk away towards the pulled up limo. The crowd begins to disperse, but a flash of white and red follows the robot. You squint a bit. _What is that?_ It’s a monster. Tall and white. _Bald?_ You’re a bit too far away to tell instantly, so you take a few steps forward.  
  
The tall monster weaves through the crowd before getting to the limo. The security guard looks at the monster for a moment and opens the door.The monster takes one last look back at the Rockefeller Centre. You see it’s face and everything clicks. Thats a skeleton.  
  
You gasp, a hand flying to your motuh.“That’s Papyrus.” BP is suddenly at your side. His voice is a mere whisper, but you can still hear the surprise laced in it. “He’s Sans’ brother. I didn’t know he was…” He fades out. You watch, eyes wide, as the skeleton -Papyrus- slides into the limo. You don’t move until the limo drives away. Sans’ brother.  
  
You have to tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> moji přátelé (◡‿◡ฺ)zzz
> 
> SO, overall a happy chapter? Maybe to make up for the 'Jerry' situation lol
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!! Thank you guys so much for the support! Some of you guys are getting closer with the theories! It's so cool!
> 
> I posted something on my Tumblr asking people if they'd like to see an Underfell version of this fic? I've gotten a few responses so far and would like to see how many people are interested! It would start...similar? but definitely have a different middle and end. 
> 
> -J♡


	20. The Street Taco

The apartment is empty when you open the door.  
  
Excitement still flowing in your veins, you search the other rooms for a few minutes. Nobody is there. Huh.  
  
“He went out?” You look over at BP, who just shrugs in response. Hmm, he doesn’t know either. “I didn’t know he…went out…” You sort of thought he just stayed at the apartment. Then again, with that teleporting power of his, he’d be a fool to stay in one place.  
  
You give a small sigh before kicking off your boots and placing your coat on the little hook near the door. Air officially out of your sails, you collapse on the couch. You can hear BP walk into his room, but the door doesn’t close behind him. To get more comfortable, you adjust to lay completely on the couch. Pulling out your phone from your pocket, you look through for Kings number.  
  
**[to King]: Hey! It’s ___ from this morning. Can Guy come over tomorrow night?**  
  
You feel like a parent trying to organize a play date. Ugh. But...you need to play along for now. Still, it leaves you with a bad feeling. “Texting Sans?” You jolt lightly. BP is suddenly right by your head. Damn his cat-like quietness. Still, you move your feet so he can sit down. He does, bringing his knees up to his chest.  
  
“Huh? No. I uh, actually forgot he had a phone.” Well damn, you really need to get his number. “I’m texting King, trying to get Guy over tomorrow.” BP takes in a stuttered breath and looks away. Your eyebrows raise. Curious. “You guys are close, right?"  
  
He clears his throat. “Uh, sure. You could say that.” His voice is slightly higher-pitched than usual.  
  
A slow grin grows on your face. “Do you want to get…closer with him?”  
  
“Oh shut up.” He groans. You open your mouth to respond-  
  
The front door opens. Both of you turn instantly towards it. It’s Sans, who pauses a bit at seeing you both on the couch. It’s weird to see him actually using a door. “heya.” He mutters, closing the door behind him.  
  
“Where were you?” BP asks, ears perking up. He took the first ‘out’ of the conversation. You glare at him. There is no _way_  you’re going to forget all that. He glances at you, but quickly looks away.  
  
“what, think i’ve been just sitting here all day?” The skeleton jokes. “nah. stuff to do, people to see.” He holds up a plastic bag. Groceries? “gonna go put this away, then i want to hear about it.” He starts towards the kitchen.  
  
You sit up quickly. “Wait, Sans!” He pauses in the doorway, turning with a raised eyebrow bone.  
  
"…'sup, kid?”His eye lights follow you as you stand up, taking the few steps until you stand in front of him. You open your mouth, but pause. How do you even word this?  
  
“When we were downtown we saw another skeleton.”  
  
“what?” He tenses up quickly, eye lights becoming pinpricks. You stare at him for a moment, heart rate picking up. You open your mouth. “wait. these can’t get warm.” And he turns around, walking into the kitchen. What?  
  
“Sans!” You call out, following the skeleton. He is already at the fridge, opening it. “Listen, we found your brother! Downtown!”  
  
For a long moment, Sans is silent. He continues to put away various vials of liquid into the fridge. “so you saw Papyrus?” He finally turns back to you, popping open a half-empty bottle of ketchup with one hand. It’s your turn to pause.  
  
“You…you know he’s here?”  
  
“yep.” Sans takes a swing of the ketchup. You’re too surprised to really react. “ ‘course i know where my younger bro is.”  
  
“Oh…”Sans takes your moment of silence to leave the kitchen. You stare at the spot he had been in for a few moments longer, before following him out the room. The skeleton has already taken over the other arm of the couch. You awkwardly sit on the small coffee table, praying it wont break under you.  
  
BP looks over to you, and you just shrug in response. What the hell just happened?  
  
“So where were you?” BP recovers first, turning to Sans with his question.  
  
“i found out where the headquarters are around here.” Sans shrugs. “figured that’d be the best place to find our missing friends.” You stare at him in shock. He’s been…infiltrating the MRC headquarters? Well, that kinda makes you feel like shit. While you were downtown eating McRonalds with BP, Sans could have been risking his life for Heisenburg and Bluman. Even for Luke.  
  
“What did you find?” BP looks much more interested now, pupils dilated, ears forward and tail swishing.  
  
“i think i might have found out where they’re being held.” Sans rubs the back of his skull with his hand. “i’m going tomorrow. could use some help actually.”  
  
“Of course!” You reply.  
  
Sans’ eye lights shift to you awkwardly. “yea, well… not gonna lie here kid. you’d be more of a liability on this one.” “Oh…makes sense I guess…” A part of you feels insulted, really, but it’s not like he’s _wrong_. BP is the quietest person when he wants to be and Sans can teleport. What can you do that’s even close to either of that? _Nothing_.  
  
Your phone pings in your pocket. You fish it out, smiling a bit at the message on the screen.  
  
**[from King]: Yes. Pick him up at the restaurant.**  
  
“wait. you still have your phone?!” A bony hand reaches forward, grabbing your phone from your hand.  
  
“Um, yes?” You start to glare at him, but pause at seeing his panicked expression. “No, Sans. They can’t track this phone. It’s not under my name.” The skeleton looks at you for a moment, before back at the phone.  
  
“didn’t you call the mrc rep on this?” You blink. Oh fuck. You _did_. Your memory flashes back to getting your cast off and calling Mac in the waiting room. Had he planned this whole thing? Oh shit.  
  
“I’m so sorry.” You groan, looking away to hide your darkening cheeks. “I didn’t think-I-I don’t know why-“ The telltale sound of metal being crushed interrupts you. You look over at Sans, who is holding your now ruined phone in his hands.  
  
“don’t worry, it’s done now.” He sighs. “did you bring anything else?”  
  
“Uh, only my laptop?” You raise up your hands. “But it’s not to my name either, or the same one as the phone. It should be okay!” Please let it be okay. If you endangered this entire thing…  
  
“should be fine.” Sans sighs. “but bring it out anyways. i’ll check it out.”  
  
—————  
  
Both monsters are gone when you wake up the next day.  
  
You sigh and look around the empty apartment. At least, you assume BP has gone with Sans. You respect him too much to check his room. In the back of your mind it registers how this is your first real moment of being…completely alone in months. Part of you longs to just lounge around the apartment. You could curl up with a blanket and surf the internet. Catch up on some music maybe? Sans had finished with the laptop pretty quickly, declaring it safe to use. But…  
  
Worry blossoms in your chest as you think about what your boys could be doing right now. Sans had made everything seem so ‘casual’ and ‘easy’ but you know it can’t be that simple. They’re infiltrating a big MRC headquarters for godsake. Something could happen to either of then, and you would have no idea. Groaning, you walk into the kitchen to make yourself a cup of coffee. You stare off into the distance in a morning haze as it’s being made. A few moments later, you’re pouring milk into the now full cup and heading to the table.  
  
_**xxx-xxx-7267 -sans**_  
  
Huh? You stare at the note on the table for a few minutes. Is that his phone number? But you don’t even have a phone anymore. Sans knows that. Why would he…?  
  
Then it clicks. You need a disposable phone. Well at least that gives you something to do today. You drink the rest of your coffee and head towards the shower.  
  
An hour later, you’re sliding on your fall boots and a jacket. You double check your keys and purse before heading out into the hallway, locking the door behind you.  
  
“Finally!” You turn quickly towards the voice. There’s no one there? Oh, wait. You look down and cringe. _Ugh._  
  
Return of Jerry. “So, like, what are we even doing?” He yawns loudly.  
  
We? “No.” You turn around and begin the walk towards the stairs.  
  
“Huh? Are you ditching me?” Jerry’s tone change sends shivers down your spine. It’s not something you'd picture coming out of the annoying monster. You pause, turning back around to face him.  
  
“Listen…Jerry…pal.” You attempt. “I have some errands I have to do today. Necessary ones. I have to leave and it’s not like you have uh…” You motion towards your neck. “So it’s not like you can come.”  
  
“Ka-SIGH.” The monsters voice is back to normal. “But the wi-fi here sucks.”  
  
You laugh awkwardly. Ugh, how do you get out of this? “Yea..ha…um well I have to go now. Train to catch and all.” You back up a few steps, give Jerry a wave and head on out.  
  
_Wow, dodged a bullet there._  
  
It’s only when you get to the station that you realize you really have no idea where you’re going. It’s not like you can rely on your phone while out anymore. But…going back to the apartment to look it up means possibly running into Jerry again. No. Not an option.  
  
You decide to take the same route you took the other day to get back from Times Square. With the amount of tourists around, there must be a phone place somewhere. Right?  
  
Thats how you end up back in Times Square, looking up at all the signs and colours and feeling much more overwhelmed than when you had BP at your side. People rush around you on both sides, some grumbling about ‘tourists’. You shake it off, and look around for a phone store. Luckily, there is a D-Mobile across the street. You head on over.  
  
Inside is less crowded then you expected. Honestly, you breathe a sigh of relief. There’s a worker standing behind the counter, looking relatively bored. You walk over.“Hey, do you have any pre-paid phones?” You ask. The guy looks at you for a moment, before pointing towards the other side of the store. You thank him and walk over.  
  
They only have about five options for a phone, all of them looking extremely dated. You sigh, grabbing one that looks like a Blueberry phone from eight years ago. You head back to the counter and ask to put one hundred on the phone. Just to be safe.  
  
“Where you from?” He asks as he’s, ringing through your purchase.  
  
“Oh…a few hours from here.” You reply cryptically, unwilling to say anything more precise. Honestly, you doubt this random D-Mobile worker has anything to do with the MRC. But you can’t take risks. Not after the whole phone debacle.  
  
As you’re paying, you hear the guy mutter. “Huh, don’t sound like it.” You tense up slightly at his words, but he doesn’t say anything else. He just hands you your receipt and the phone. Giving him a small ‘thank you’ and a smile, you head on out.  
  
Now what to do.  
  
—————  
  
This is stupid.  
  
Looking up at the now more familiar gold statue ,you let out a sigh. As if they’d come back to the same place two days in a row. You take the last bite of your street-corner taco and turn around. Well, being a bit early to pick up Guy couldn’t be that bad, right? Ugh, but you really don’t want to be sitting around a Dairy King for four hours.  
  
You decide to pop into some nearby shops to pass the time, staring wishfully at the expensive items at Arizia and Tiptop shop. You leave empty handed, a bit proud of yourself for not giving in. Accidentally leaving through the wrong exit has its advantages however, as you see an M &H store across the street.  
  
Jackpot.  
  
With a smile, you head across the street to the M&H. Inside, you pass by the ‘womens’ department and head straight towards ‘mens’. It doesn’t take you too long to find what you’re looking for.A coat, long and warm for BP. The price is actually pretty good as well. You guess at a medium size for him, and fold it over your arm. Perfect. After the coat, you kind of go crazy with ideas. A sweater for Sans, a hoodie for BP, some hats, and mittens for both of them. You even remember some mittens for Guy. In the end, you spend close on two hundred.  
  
You feel a bit happier when you leave. _I guess shopping therapy is real._ And you’ve only bought necessary items. _Go me_. You check your phone, noticing that you still have a few hours before you have to head over to Dairy King to pick up Guy. Hmm. Maybe some food? But you really don’t feel like spending MORE money.  
  
You look around outside. Huh. There’s a line forming a bit outside of a Burns  & Noble down the street. Curious and lacking in things to do, you decide to check it out.There are no signs up or anything, so you go to the person in the back of the line. “Um, sorry. What’s this line for?” You ask.  
  
She turns around, looking at you like you’re crazy.“Uh, Mettaton’s book signing of course!” She sounds almost offended that you don’t know. Weird. You didn’t even know he had a book. “You need to have a ticket though, I think they sold out a few days ago.”  
  
Wait, Mettaton. Your eyes widen. If the robot is here, maybe Papyrus is as well.  
  
You walk to the front of the line and try to see through the windows. Unsuccessful. The person guarding the entrance is staring at you weirdly.“Uh, can I just go in?” You ask. “To…buy a book?” The guard looks at you suspiciously, but nods and opens the door. You slide into the bookstore with a smile. The inside looks like every other Burns & Noble you’ve been in, although there is a lot of security.  
  
A security guard catches you looking. “Keep moving ma’am.” He shoo's you. Unwilling to cause a fuss, you head further into the store.  
  
Ugh, you’re _so_  close too. You sigh and decide to at least look around. It’ll look more suspicious if you just leave. Wandering around, you check out a few books. There aren’t any you’ve been particularly looking forward to, and you won’t be able to buy any today. Being in a bookstore brings a sense of…ease that you haven’t felt in months. The smell of books always gets you. You used to spend hours a day in the ones back home. With a small smile teasing your lips, you walk much further into the store.  
  
You turn a corner and bump into someone, hard. With a startled sound, you jump back and look up to the person. You take in a breath. It's him. The skeleton. Sans’ brother.  
  
He’s standing there, holding a pile of books in his hands. A collar beeps quietly around his neck. You can’t help but stare. Other than the whole…skeleton thing, the two don’t exactly look similar. Papyrus looks more like the anatomical dummy in a classroom than Sans ever did. He’s tall, not hiding his bones behind layers of clothing and his jaw looks…detachable. But that’s not what has you staring in shock. By now, you’re pretty used to the whole ‘skeleton' thing.  
  
He has… a crack. A large, jagged, angry looking crack starting somewhere near the top of his skull -where you can’t see- and going straight down through an eye, ending at his jaw. Smaller cracks lead out from it like morbid tree branches. It looks…unnatural, unsettling.  
  
“IM SORRY HUMAN.” The loud voice shocks you out of your thoughts. “I DID NOT SEE YOU.” Oh god, is it because of the eye?  
  
“Oh, uh.” You stammer. “It’s okay! No harm done.” The skeleton smiles at you and begins to walk around. Something hits your foot, and you look down. A book. Mettaton’s smiling face is on the cover. Oh, it must be for the signing. “Um, you dropped this.” You pick up the book, holding it out. Papyrus turns around.  
  
“OH. THANK YOU HUMAN.” Sans’ brother reaches out with a red glove to gently take the book back.  
  
“Do you want any help?” The words are out of your mouth before you can really think about them, but you can’t bring yourself to regret your offer.  
  
For a moment, Papyrus just stares at you. “UM, WELL…” He looks down at the overflowing books. ‘IF YOU WOULDN’T MIND?”  
  
You give him a smile and reach forward, grabbing a few books from his arms. You can't hold too much either, but you hope that you're helping a small bit. Papyrus begins to walk again, and you catch up to him, careful to walk on the ‘good’ side. He pauses only a millisecond as you catch up, almost in surprise.  
  
“This must suck…huh?” You ask.  
  
“WHAT?”  
  
“Having to do work like this for Mettaton?”  
  
“YOU ARE MISTAKEN HUMAN. I AM METTATON’S NUMBER ONE FAN.” Shocked, you look over at the skeleton. He seems to be even brighter then before. “I AM HAPPY TO HELP WHENEVER I AM NEEDED.”  
  
Well, what can you say to that? “Huh. Alright then.”  
  
Silence. You’re nearing the front of the store.  
  
“Why are you doing this?” You’re more shocked by his suddenly quiet voice than his words. Glancing over, you see his head turned towards you.  
  
“Just wanted to help, that’s all.” You give him a big smile, hoping to convince him that you don't have some evil plot brewing in the back of your mind.  
  
“WELL THANK YOU HUMAN.” And his voice is back. You feel pretty relieved. He stops suddenly, reaching forward to grab the stack of books from your hands, placing them effortlessly onto of his own stack. “I HAVE TO GO NOW." Papyrus smiles. It’s infectious, you smile back. “I AM VERY HAPPY TO MEET YOU, KIND HUMAN.”  
  
And then he bounds off. You watch him go, smile still on your face.  
  
You really like him.  
  
—————  
  
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” You call out, almost rushing into someone on your way into the Dairy King.  
  
You’re late. After all that…you’re late. Customers and employees alike stare at you in shock and confusion but you don’t care. You look around wildly for King or Guy. Oh god, did they already leave? King doesn’t have your new number. BP is going to be so sad.  
  
“Hey!” You jump to the side, looking in the direction of the voice. Guy is standing there, looking shocked at your reaction. “Sorry!” What’s with monsters and being so quiet, holy shit.  
  
“No no, I’m sorry I’m late.” You let out a relieved breath. Alright, the night is still salvageable.  
  
“You're only a few minutes late.” Guy smiles. “King already left. You ready to go?” You nod, noticing he’s holding a duffle bag. The two of you leave the Dairy King quickly.   
  
Guy turns out to be great at conversation. There isn’t a moment of silence between the two of you as you head back to the apartment. He asks a lot of questions about your relationship with Sans and BP, but is careful not to say their names. It’s already dark by the time you make it back to the apartment. Damn daylight savings time. Guy sticks a bit closer to you as you make the walk back through the area, which you’re grateful for.  
  
BP and Sans are on the couch when you arrive. They both turn to look at the door as you open it. “Hey guys!” You call out, putting away your outside clothes. You notice Guy following your example. “How did everything go?”  
  
“Pretty good.” BP answers with a smile. “We think we found where they’re keeping Heisenburg and Bluman. We're going tomorrow to make sure.” Ah, so another day by yourself.  
  
“went shopping?” Sans is staring at your bags from the couch.  
  
“Yup!” You smile, taking a few steps towards the coffee table and placing them down. “I got a phone too, don’t worry. I just didn’t want to message you incase you were in a bad situation.” You take the phone out of your pocket and hand it to Sans. He fiddles with it for a few moments, putting in his number and hands it back.  
  
“Alright, so BP.” You take out the dark coat from the bag, handing it over. “I got you a coat. My old one isn’t warm enough.”  
  
“Aw, cool. Thanks little buddy!” He holds up the coat, looking thrilled. You smile, happy that he likes it. Then you reach in and grab the other main item. Pulling it out, a feeling of excitement flows through you.  
  
“So this is for you.” You hand it over to Sans. If BP looked a bit surprise, Sans looks completely shocked. He takes a moment before even grabbing the warm sweater, eyes wide.  
  
“uh, thanks.” He mutters, unfolding the black sweater. Suddenly he takes in a stuttered breath. Your smile grows, he’s seen it. He begins to chuckle. It starts quietly and grows into a full on laugh. Unable to help yourself, you begin to laugh as well.  BP and Guy look on, confused before Sans turns the sweater around. Its a thick wool sweater, completely black except for bones going down the arms and white ribs decorating the front. It’s not completely anatomically correct, but it was the best you could find. Thank god for it being October. BP and Guy begin to chuckle as well. It takes a few moments for you all to quiet down.  
  
“thanks.” You look back over at Sans. His smile is big and sincere, eye lights wider then ever. You smile back at him and nod, before reaching back into the bag. You hand out the mittens and hats to everyone. Guy looks delighted that you remembered him and thanks you multiple times.   
  
“did you get anything for yourself?” Sans asks, giving you a weird look.  
  
You furrow your brows. “Uh, nope.” Why would you? It’s not like you needed anything. Suddenly you remember. “Oh, uh Sans? Can I talk with you in the kitchen for a moment.”  
  
“sure buddy.” Sans get up from the couch, and follows you into the kitchen. The two of you stand around for a minute before you find your voice.  
  
“I saw your brother again.” The atmosphere gets tense instantly.  
  
“what?” Oh, that’s not a good reaction.  
  
“Yea, I was looking at a bookstore to pass the time and apparently Mettaton was doing a book signing in there?” A boldface lie, but Sans doesn’t seem happy as it is. “He was struggling with some books so I-“  
  
“listen.” Sans voice is darker than normal, more serious. But his eye lights are still there, staring at you. It stops you from completely panicking. “leave papyrus alone. i’m serious.” You didn’t doubt that. “don’t talk to him, don’t go near him. walk the other way if you see him. no contact at all.”  
  
You gulp. “Um, sure…okay I wont. But why not?”  
  
Sans stares at you for a moment. “lets go back.” He turns around, leaving the kitchen quickly. You stare at the doorframe in shock. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Was Papyrus dangerous? He didn’t seem dangerous…  
  
Eventually you walk back into the livingroom. Everyone has already settled on the couch. Guy is taking up one side, with BP beside him and Sans on the far other side. That leaves only an opening between BP and Sans. It’s a little awkward after the previous conversation but you sit down in the open spot.  
  
BP has the laptop on his lap, scrolling through the Notflix options. Jerry was right about one thing, the wi-fi here does suck. “What about something spooky?” You ask. BP looks over to you. “It’s getting close to Halloween now so there must be something out.” Leaning over BP’s shoulder, you find ‘The Fifth Sense’ and immediately recommend that. “It’s a classic.”  
  
BP turns on the movie and places it on the coffee table. There is no TV, so you all have to watch on the laptop screen. But it isn’t too bad. You get sucked into it easily.  
  
The funeral reception scene is on when a bony elbow hits your side, breaking you out of your concentration. You look over at Sans and open your mouth to ask what’s going on. But the skeleton has a finger over his mouth in a ‘shh’ motion. You close your mouth and raise an eyebrow. Sans gestures with his head to your other side.  
  
You look over. Somehow during the movie, Guy had stretched out. His arm is now resting on BP’s shoulders. The rabbit monster looks pretty happy about it actually, continuously looking down at BP and smiling. It doesn’t look like he’s paying any attention to the movie.  
  
For his part, BP’s eyes are wide and dilated. His cheeks are darker than normal -blushing?- and there is a small smile on his face. His ears are twitching wildly, but he isn’t leaning into Guy at all. He is watching the movie almost _too_  intently, in a way that you know means he is just lost in thought and not actually paying any attention.  
  
A grin starts to grow on your face. Oh my god. This is too cute. You look back at Sans, who has a similar grin on his face. He wiggles his eyebrow bones- again, how?!-, and you hold back a laugh.  
  
You and Sans spend the next hour quietly joking around and watching the progression of Guy and BP. Eventually, a definitely blushing BP ends up almost completely laying on Guy. Honestly, you have to hand it to Guy, he’s either very confident or just has great moves. The movie ends, and another one begins to play.  
  
You fall asleep before the end of it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> οι φίλοι μου Ψ(｀▽´)Ψ
> 
> SO, a lot happened in this chapter lol. We'll continue at this sort of pace until at least chapter 25. We'll probably slow down a bit after that though. 
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Thank you SO much for all the support I am blown away!
> 
> -J♡


	21. The Three Omelettes

You are shaken awake rather suddenly. “Huh?” You grumble, opening your eyes against all internal wishes. A blue monster stares back at you. Oh. Guy. “Hello.” A quick look around proves that you two are alone.  
  
Guy gives you a big smile. “Good morning!” He sits down beside you. Why is he in your bed? “I hate to wake you up but we need to go soon or we won’t make it.” Go? Make it? What? A pain begins in your temples. Your tired brain attempts to connect the dots as you push yourself up into a sitting position.  
  
Oh. You’re on the couch. You fell asleep here? The last thing you remember is joking around with Sans… about Guy and BP. Ohh. Looking over, you send Guy a sleepy grin. “So, how far did you get with my best friend last night?”  
  
Guy looks over at you. His right ear twitches lightly, but his happy smile doesn’t falter. “About as far as you did with Sans.”  
  
_What._  
  
You stare at Guy, brain unable to comprehend what the monster was attempting to say. He keeps a straight face for a moment, before leaning back and bursting out in laughter. Relaxing, you let out a long breath. Looking back up, you roll your eyes at the monster. “Don’t joke like that.” You mutter.  
  
“But I’m not joking!” Guy stops laughing and looks you straight in the eyes. The smile on his ace is freakily sincere. But…he must be joking. Right? Right?! “I've never seen Sans look so...flustered."  
  
Your heart begins to beat a bit faster. “What happened?!” You demand, reaching forward to place a hand on Guys arm.  
  
“You fell asleep curled around his arm.” Guy replies with that same freakily sincere smile. You feel your face begin to heat up in embarrassment, and slap your hands over your cheeks. No. No way. You didn’t. “You two are so cute together.”  
  
You? With Sans? No. That’s not possible. He’s a monster. You weren’t into monsters. Right? Oh shit was that racist? Speciesist? It wasn’t that you were…against dating monster. You just never heard of anything of that nature happening before. And well, Sans is a _skeleton_. How would that even work out? He probably doesn’t even have…the…parts…  
  
_Oh god._  
  
“I didn’t know humans could go so red.” Guys face is close to yours, looking interested in your tomato-like state. “What are you thinking about?” That smile is definitely a lot more wicked than the one before it.  
  
Unable to deal with that train of thought any longer, you place your hands on Guys shoulders and push him back. He falls back against the arm of the couch with a laugh. Rolling your eyes you stand up, purposely hiding your red face from the monster. “I’m going to get ready.”  
  
You disappear quickly into your bedroom, listening to Guys' laughter the entire way.  
  
————  
  
Even Guy seems a bit surprised that you two are not late. Somehow, you make it to the Dairy King ten minutes early. The restaurant is pretty busy when you arrive. King is behind the counter. He looks over when the bell chimes and gives you a nod. There. Job done.Hopefully Guy will be able to come over more. It’ll be worth it to see BP’s blushing face again. Oh, you’re one hundred percent going to tease him about it later.  
  
“Thank you.” A voice brings you from your thoughts. You look over at Guy. The tall monster looks down at you with a soft smile. “Thank you for bringing Burgy back to me.” It’s a statement full of happiness, but the look in his eyes tells of a darker story.  
  
Honestly, you are only beginning to be able to imagine what life has been like for monsters. The fear of the unknown. Unknowing whether the people you care about are safe or happy or even alive. Looking at Guy, you have no doubt that he used to worry a lot about BP. All this pain because of humans. Because of YOUR species. And still, here he is, thanking a human like you. It seems almost impossible, incomprehensible. “Don’t thank me.” You sigh, looking away. “I’m not-“  
  
“No.” A hand reaches forward, grabbing onto yours. You look back at the rabbit monster with wide eyes. “There are so many humans who don’t agree with everything. Those like King who treat monsters with basic respect. But they don’t… _do_  anything. They act nice, but still willingly buy slaves.” HIs ears droop as he speaks. “I don’t blame them, really. It takes a lot of courage to do something.”  
  
Courage? You? You feel like you’ve just been dragged along. You have not actually DONE anything. Letting out a long breath, you avoid his eyes. You’re not going to fight him on this, but you can’t exactly agree.  
  
Guy lets out his own sigh, letting go of your hand. “Alright. I have to get back to work now. Goodbye ____.” You look back at his face. He has a smile back, ears no longer drooping. You wonder how much of his constant happiness is fake. “I’ll get Burgy to update me on you and Sans.” A wink.  
  
You open your mouth in protest, but he’s already turned around and off towards the ‘Employee Only’ door. You stare after him until the door closes behind. You and Sans? Has Guy gone crazy? Ugh, you need air. You leave the Dairy King quickly.  
  
————  
  
On your way back to the station, the now familiar market catches your eye. Sans had got some…things the other day (most of which you are pretty sure are not food) but you need some more essentials. You don’t really have a plan as you walk around the market. The essentials are picked first: some bread and eggs, veggies and fruit. You think you could have haggled for some prices, but you’re not really confident enough to try. Maybe you’ll stop by the nearby Hole Foods and grab some pasta. Hmm. Is it worth it? You raise a hand to your mouth in thought.  
  
“HUMAN!” You jump as the loud voice harshly breaks you from your thought. _Oh my god. Is that?_ Your head spins towards the direction that the sound came from. A tall skeleton is making his way through the crowd towards you, hand in the air waving wildly. You open your mouth in shock, raising a hand almost mechanically to wave back. In only a quick moment, he’s in front of you. Your head cranes up to look at his face. He has a huge smile on his face. You purposely avoid looking at the crack down his skull, a feeling of utter ‘wrongness’ growing inside you.  
  
“HELLO AGAIN KIND HUMAN.” He begins. “I SPOTTED YOU FROM THE HOLE FOODS PLACE.” You blink slowly. Hole Foods? That’s pretty far. How can he see so well with one eye? Luckily it doesn’t seem like he expects you to respond, as you’re really unsure what to say. “AND THEN I REMEMBERED, I NEVER INTRODUCED MYSELF. HOW RUDE OF ME.” He strikes a dramatic pose. “I AM PAPYRUS.” He looks like he wants to say more, but cuts himself short.  
  
Well…you can’t really say ‘I already know that’. Sans’ words echo in your mind. He doesn’t want you to talk to his brother. Ah shit. “Um, hello Papyrus! I’m ____”  
  
“THAT IS A WONDERFUL NAME.” You notice that the area around you has cleared out, people are giving the skeleton a wide distance. “NOT AS GREAT AS MINE, OF COURSE. BUT MAYBE A SECOND BEST?”  
  
“I’ll take it.” You reply with a shrug. “Listen Papyrus…I have to go-“  
  
A metallic sound cuts over the crowd. _A voice?_ As it quiets, the people begin to look around wildly. From the far right, a group of large men and women dressed in black approach. You look on in shock as they get closer, spotting a flash of silver and purple from within their circle.  _Oh. Oh no. No way._ But there he is. Mettaton in the flesh. Er…metal. _Holy shit what is happening here? How is this my life?_  
  
“Oh my goodness, there you are!” Mettaton steps out from the circle, quickly coming up beside Papyrus. Luckily you are partially hidden behind he skeletons large form. “You know you can’t just run off like that Pap.” His tone is light, but firm. Papyrus looks a bit ashamed.  
  
“I AM SORRY METT. JUST YOU SEE, THIS IS THE HUMAN I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.” The skeleton steps to the side, revealing you to the metallic superstar. You stare in shock, wanting to just sink into the concrete floor. “I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY NEW FRIEND.” Oh god, his friend? You only met the monster once. Metallic eyes shift to you, going up and down your form. You feel completely exposed under that gaze. It’s harsh and analytical. The security guards have formed a circle around the two monsters, keeping the crowd at bay. Unfortunately that means you are inside the circle as well.  
  
In the end, Mettaton chooses not to acknowledge you. “We have to go now Pap.”  
  
“OH, YES.” Papyrus’ good eye widens. “BUT I CANNOT JUST LEAVE MY NEW FRIEND TO STRUGGLE WITH HER GROCERIES.” He looks down at you. “WE WILL TAKE HER TO THE STATION.” The robot falters, also looking down at you. His eyes are much less welcoming than Papyrus’.  
  
“Um, I-“ _This is all happening too fast. What the hell is even going on?_ You look between Papyrus and Mettaton. The station isn’t that far away. It’s an easy walk. That’s enough to make you want to reject the offer. But then Papyrus hits you with a huge smile and you can almost feel your heart hurt at the thought of disappointing him. “…okay?” _Fuck._  
  
Mettaton lets out a scoff and looks away, crossing his arms. But Papyrus looks overjoyed, reaching over to grab your groceries from your hands. You let it happen, still unable to grasp everything going on. You just wanted some groceries. Thats all.  
  
Looking up from the enclosed hands, you notice that the ample security guards have now closed in a bit tighter. The crowd on either side is starting to get a loud again, with some people yelling out to Mettaton, so you’re a bit glad.  
  
But for once, Mettaton doesn’t seem interested in his fans. His attention is back on you. “Hey Paps, why don't you go ahead and bring the groceries to the car.” His tone is light, but those eyes are still hard and…angry? _Shit._ Papyrus looks a bit uncertain. “I can get to know your new friend.”  
  
That does the trick. “WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA!” Papyrus reaches forward, patting you on the head with a gloved hand before bounding out of sight. He slides through the crowd with no problem, and none of them seem interested in him. You miss him immediately. More particularly, the knowledge that Mettaton likely wouldn’t do anything to you in his presence. You feel completely vulnerable and exposed in front of the robotic monster.  
  
Mettaton suddenly begin to move, forcing you to move as well within their circle. They move pretty quickly. You stay near the back, practically being pushed by the furthest guard. Mettaton looks back at you and rolls his eyes. With a small huff, he slows his own steps until he’s at your pace. The guards follow suit and you are no longer at the back. You try to keep your head forward, but your eyes keep glancing over at the robot. Your heart beats loud and hard. _What the fuck is happening here? How did I end up walking beside freaking METTATON?!_  
  
The crowd has become loud, but the screams of ‘Mettaton sign this!' or ‘Take a photo with me!’ sort of blur into a background noise. “What do you think you are doing?” The metallic voice is harsher than you've ever heard, and you've seen most of his media due to BP.  
  
“What?” You look over at him. He’s looking at you out of the corner of his eyes. He doesn’t respond, but it takes no time for you to realize he’s talking about Papyrus. “Oh.” What do you even say to that? “I don’t…know?”  
  
“You don't know?!” In a blink, the robot is in front of you. You stop walking immediately to avoid running into him, and jump as his hands grab your shoulders. Your heart jumps to your throat as you look up at his figure. He leans forward until his head is right by your ear. “Listen here then. **Stay the _fuck_ away from Papyrus.** ”  
  
The absolutely dangerous threat in those words shuts down your mind. You begin to shake as the robot straightens up. His hands squeeze your shoulders painfully before he lets go. “I’ll get one of the guards to bring your grocery bags back.” He heel turns, taking a few steps away. Your mind struggles to restart. Theres a pulling in your chest, urging you to do something. Anything. You don't know what. Your mind can barely form a full sentence. Your lungs hurt. Breathe. You need to breathe.  
  
“Wait!" You call out. The robot stops, looking back over his shoulder with a grimace and cold eyes. He’s only a meter or two away. “Listen I…” _Oh god am I actually going to do this?_ “I know Sans?” The phrase is whispered so quietly, you don’t think a human could hear you. But somehow, you feel as if the robot did.  
  
Looking down at the ground you wait for…whatever is going to happen. This is so stupid. It’s too much of a risk. It could go so wrong, especially if Mettaton and Sans do not get along.  
  
But nothing happens. You look up.  
  
You let out a surprised breath. A purple, chest. Mettaton is only a foot away from you. Your eyes go up further to his face. “You know him?" The metallic voice is quieter than normal. You nod. “How?”  
  
“We’re…” _Roomates? Runaways? Partners in crime? Why is this relationship so complicated?_ “…friends.” You clench your hands into fists. “And I just…Papyrus dropped a book and I couldn't just ignore his brother.”His eyes stare straight into yours.  
  
“Prove it.”  
  
You blink. Prove it? Prove you know Sans? “Um, okay. He’s shorter than Papyrus, closer to my height, and…thicker?” You pause for a moment, thinking of your words. “Big boned? He likes to wear a blue hoodie and has blue magic.”  
  
Mettaton narrows his eyes. “Too easy.” He shakes his head, his hair falling perfectly yet again. _Is it possible for him to look disheveled?_ “Tell me something personal.”  
  
Well shit. You wrack your brain for something that might placate the angry robot. “Well uh, he _REALLY_ likes ketchup. I’ve seen him drink it straight from the bottle. He likes bad puns and science and space. Oh and pineapple on pizza. He’s a slob and pretty lazy.” The word ‘teleportation’ knocks around your mind. It would definitely convince the robot that you _actually know_  Sans. The skeleton keeps that ability pretty hidden. But, if you were wrong about Papyrus and Mettaton. If they are dangerous, you can’t give up Sans’ biggest weapon like that.  
  
“He’s surprisingly sturdy and soft for a skeleton, not how you'd think bones could be. And he has these eye light...things that change in size depending on his mood. I’ve seen them as big as quarters or just not exist at all. And-"  
  
“Stop.” Mettaton holds up a hand. You obey, and fidget a bit as he remains quiet. His eyes look you over critically, but they seem a bit less angry than before. Just as invading though. Slowly, he places his hand back down. “Two days from now. I have a reservation at five at The Striped Pig. Be there at four. We need to talk.”  
  
You nod quickly without thinking about it, too stressed and out of your element to do anything else. The robot looks at you for a moment longer before suddenly turning around. He takes a few steps away before stopping. “Well? Are you coming?”  
  
Feeling like a puppet on a string, you follow behind the robot. The security guards keep the growing crowd from getting close to either of you. In the process, they close the circle quite a bit so there are no openings. Soon you find yourself walking beside Mettaton again.For a few minutes, the two of you walk in silence. _Where is this car?_  
  
Mettaton turns his head to look at you. “What did you say your name is, darling?” Darling? Emotional whiplash hits you quickly, and you stammer out your name. “Not bad.”  
  
The robot muses. He says nothing else as they get closer to the car, which turns out to be an honest-to-god black limo. You’d normally be more blown away, but you’re still reeling from the previous experiences. Papyrus is already inside, but has the window open and is leaning out to wave.  
  
“ARE YOU TWO FRIENDS NOW?” He asks as you climb in after Mettaton. You give him an awkward smile without responding, unsure of what to say. The skeleton just gives you a smile back and pats your head.  
  
The trip to the station lasts about five minutes due to traffic. Honestly, it might have been quicker to walk the few blocks. You don’t complain though. Papyrus chats to you the entire time, and Mettaton just watches in silence.You wave a goodbye to Papyrus -who is once again leaning out the open window- as you get out of the limo. Only a few people stare at you, which you're grateful for. You're not exactly looking for more attention.  
  
The ride back is quiet and uneventful. You lug your groceries up the stairs as quietly as possible, attempting to avoid somehow summoning Jerry. Luckily, nothing happens and you escape into the apartment. As you close the door behind you, you let out a long breath.  
  
“Long day?” You look towards the voice. BP is sitting on the couch, laptop in hand. He looks…exhausted. Oh right. They infiltrated the MRC headquarters today. Shit. You’d forgotten in all the ‘excitement’ that happened. A bit of guilt hits your gut.  
  
“You can say that.” You sigh, leaving the groceries on the ground to go plop down beside him.  
  
“So, how was it?” Immediately the monster cringes, ears going flat. Concern flares up in your chest. “That bad? What happened?”  
  
“I don’t…really want to talk about it right now.” He says quietly, looking down. “Later, I promise. I need to get my mind off it.” He’s silent after that. You want to know. You have a feeling that whatever he’s not telling you is BIG news. But…the look on his face. _Ah, fuck it._ You instead begin to tell him about your day.  
  
“You need to tell Sans.” He says when you reach the part about Papyrus. You sigh. Part of you had hoped he’d agree to keep it a secret. But well, he’s right.  
  
“tell sans what?” The words come from directly behind you. You stiffen up and give BP a worried look. He returns it.  
  
“Something happened today.” You turn around with weary eyes. Sans is leaning against the back of the couch. He looks concerned at your words, which only makes you regret deciding to tell him even more. You have a strong feeling he won’t be ‘concerned’ at the end of this.  
  
“not exactly comforting, buddy.” His eye sockets narrow slightly. Ah, shit. No, this isn’t going to be good. You stand up from the couch, walking around until you are in front of the skeleton. Face-to-face. Somehow this made it worse. Shit.  
  
“Yea, well.” You sigh. “It’s not exactly a comfortable subject.” You raise a hand to rub at the back of your head, stalling a bit for time. Sans doesn't rush you, although you can hear BP shuffling in the background. He’s nervous too. “I talked to Papyrus today.”  
  
“what?!” And suddenly, any concern is gone. Sans takes a step forward, eye lights becoming pinpricks in seconds. His mouth opens slightly, then closes. He looks completely panicked. “and?!”  
  
“And nothing.” There’s NO way you’re mentioning anything about Mettaton right now. “That’s it.”  
  
“you gave your word.” Ah, there’s the anger.  
  
“He came up to me! What was I supposed to do, ignore him? Walk away?!”  
  
“if that’s what it takes!” He spits out, eye lights threatening to disappear any moment. It sends a familiar shiver of fear down your spine. But… you don’t really think he’d hurt you. Not after everything.  
  
You roll your eyes, frustration and anger rising up quickly within you. “Sans that’s ridiculous! I’m not just going to ignore someone speaking to me!”  
  
“well apparently you ignore me when i’m speaking to you!”  
  
You groan.” That’s not what I mean and you know it!”  
  
Sans eyes narrow a bit more. “you’re being ignorant and selfish.”  
  
A pang of hurt hits your chest. “Well you’re being an asshole!” Sans takes a step towards you. “What? Going to attack me again? Send me to hospital? Or maybe you’re planning to finish me off?” The words are out of your mouth before you can even process them.  
  
Suddenly the skeleton freezes. His eye lights completely disappear and he takes a step back. “fuck you for saying that.” Then he’s gone.  
  
You stare at the area where Sans had been for a long time. Your heart and mind race uncontrollably, threads of unfinished thoughts and feelings. It feels like hours. Shreds of regret begins to form in your heart.  
  
_Why did I say that? **Fuck**_ **.**  
  
“Harsh.” BP’s voice startles you from your thoughts. You turn around to see him. He is standing behind you. His eyes are wide, ears back and tail moving wildly. The two of you look at each other for a moment, no more words exchanged.  
  
Taking a few steps forward, you pull the cat monster into a firm hug and bury your face in his sweater. Your eyes begin to burn. _Am I crying?_  Arms circle around you hesitantly.You don’t know how long you stand like that, shaking lightly in your friends arms. Eventually, BP leads you towards the couch. He sits down beside you, and you take the opportunity to lay your head on his shoulder.  
  
“Was I wrong?” You whisper.  
  
“I don’t know.” He replies softly.  
  
After a few more minutes, he carefully grabs the laptop from the coffee table and puts on Notflix. It’s a horror movie. Dabadook? Something like that. You don’t pay any real attention, eyes unfocused on the screaming mother and child. When it ends, he puts on a random episode of E.N.E.M.I.E.S. You’ve seen it before, but the familiar antics are enough to bring you a bit more to the present. A few more episodes later and you sit up, deciding to at least make some food.  
  
Pasta. Comfort food at its finest. But…you never made it to Hole Foods for the actual pasta. You look down at the ingredients. _Shit. Breakfast food it is._  
  
You make three omelettes for two people. BP doesn’t comment on it, and packs away the extras into a tubberware container. _When did we get tubberware?_  
  
The two of you stay up later then usual. Waiting. BP falls asleep first, curled in the corner of the couch. You don’t last too much longer.  
  
But Sans doesn’t come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR <3
> 
> Sorry for disappearing for...20 days lol. I went to visit family for the holidays and they have no internet. But coming back to all your support means the world to me! Thank you all so much!
> 
> I've already uploaded two bonus chapters to my EBS Extra's work today. BUT friday night I will be uploading two special bonus chapters. One will be Sans and BP's trip to MRC HQ, and the other will be the scenes from the night before. This includes Guy x BP moments AND a Sans x Reads moment. I will be posting them first to Tumblr, and on Ao3 on the weekend.  
> EDIT: I got really sick and haven't been able to upload the bonus chapters. They will be posted on Tumblr on Sunday and Ao3 during the next week!
> 
> Check out saltedpeppermintmocha.tumblr.com tomorrow night to read it first!
> 
> -J♡


	22. The Peanut Butter Bagel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Harassment, Sexual Assault, Vague but Graphic Imagery

_8:22 a.m_  
  
**[to Sans]:** I’m sorry.  
  
_10:40 a.m_  
  
**[to Sans]:** Seriously, it was a dick thing to say.  
  
_2:15 p.m_  
  
**[to Sans]:** Please come back.  
  
Eventually you clue in that the skeleton has no plans on replying. Or returning. Your plans consist of spending the day drowning in guilt and bedsheets. Its a successful plan until the afternoon, when BP slams open your door and pulls you out of your blanket burrito. You want to complain, but the concerned look on his face makes you pause. You agree to leave bed, but just curl into yourself on the couch.  
  
BP disappears into the kitchen. The same thought process repeats over and over in your head. _Why did I say that?_ It had been such a horrible thing to say. Sans had apologized for everything already, and you’d already forgiven him. You weren’t scared, not anymore.  
  
“Here.” The voice breaks you from your thoughts. You look up. BP stands beside you holding a cup of steaming liquid. Coffee? He holds it closer for you to take.  
  
“How’d you…?” You trail off, accepting the coffee from him. How did he get coffee? You don’t have a coffee maker here. Instant? But you never got instant coffee. You take a sip of the coffee. It burns, but it otherwise delicious.  
  
“Sans.” BP replies, sitting down beside you. Oh. He holds out a plate. It has a toasted bagel with peanut butter on it. _When did we get bagels? Or peanut butter?_ You stare at the plate. “You need to eat something.”  
  
You accept the plate, resting it on your lap.For a while the two of you sit in silence. You manage to take a few bites of the bagel, and down the coffee. Eventually though, curiosity wins. “So what happened?”  
  
BP instantly understands you. He pauses, ears flattening to his skull. “Fuck, I don’t know.” His paws fidget against the couch. “There was a lot going on in there. We almost got caught…a few times and had to separate.” He lets out a long breath and meets your eyes. “We found a body.”  
  
Your eyes instantly widen. _Oh no. Oh please no._ “Luke?” Your heart begins to hammer in your chest. _It can’t be Luke, right? He would have mentioned something before. Right?_  
  
“Oh, no no no.” BP shakes his head, making an ‘x’ with his arms. “Not a human body. It was a monster.” Instant relief hits you. _It’s not Luke._ Then, another part of you gets hit by guilt at that thought.  
  
Still, you are a bit confused. “But I thought monsters turned to dust?”  
  
“We do.” He sighs. “That’s why it was so shocking. Monster bodies don’t…last like humans do. I’ve never seen Sans so freaked out.”  
  
“Shit.”  
  
“There’s more.” BP looks away. “We found a trail of sorts. Something that could lead us to finding Heisenburg and Bluman.”  
  
“Thats good, right?” Why does he sound so sad about it?  
  
“From what we could tell, they’ve been sent to Ebott.” His paw taps on his leg. “Monster sent to Ebott don’t come back. They have some sort of…compound there that monsters don’t return from. I don’t know about humans, but it’s not a good sign.” Shit, It's really not. For a long moment you sit in silence.  
  
“Any news about Luke?” BP shakes his head. You drop your eyes down to your coffee. The air hangs heavily on both of you, atmosphere tense and uncomfortable. _Luke, where are you?_ Could he have been sent to Ebott from the start? _Is he…dead already?_ Your heart constricts painfully.  
  
“I…” You pause, putting the coffee down on the table beside the plate of half-eaten bagel. “I think I need some air.” You’re up faster than ever, headed towards the door. BP yells out something after you, but you don’t register any words. There is a roaring in your head that only gets worse. It’s a miracle you remember your coat and boots before you leave. The same can’t be said for your cellphone, but you don’t turn back.  
  
“Hellooo-“  
  
“Not now Jerry.” You walk past the monster without a glance.  
  
————  
  
You end up on a park bench miles from the apartment. At least, you assume it’s miles away. You lost track of where you are a while ago now. The park looks serene in the October sunset. A couple takes a stroll down the path to your right. The last children playing on the distant structures are called away by parents. You watch them disappear from the park and bury your head in your hands.  
  
Your eyes burn lightly with unshed tears. When did everything get so fucked up?  
  
The answer is simple, really. Your life had been a monotonous blur of uneventful scenarios before you met BP. Before you found the cardboard house and decided to give food to the homeless being there. Before you invited him into your house and life. But, in the end you can’t regret it. _How can I? How could I EVER regret BP?_ You think of your friends laughing face, of the blush on his furry cheeks as he cuddled with Guy. _No, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat._  
  
And to be honest, maybe you were always going to be involve in this. It’s not like you have a direct influence over the change of events, right? Everything would have happened anyways. Luke would still be missing.Shit. You suck in a deep breath through your teeth.  
  
“Hey mama.” Your head snaps up, focusing on a shadowy figure in front of you. He’s illuminated only by the light of a nearby street light. It’s dark already? How long have you been here? The man looks average, but years of experience sands shivers up your spine. Something is wrong here. There’s something in his eyes, in his grin. Something predatory.  
  
“Uh, hi.” You push yourself into a standing position, taking a step away from the man. “I need to go now.” A quick turn and you begin to walk away. Maybe he’ll just leave you alone. Please let him just leave you alone. Footsteps hit the concrete beside you. Shit.  
  
“Wha’s the rush, little lady?” Ignore him. Ignore him and maybe he’ll go away. Please. You say nothing in response, but speed up your pace. Your heart begins to beat harsh in your chest. “What? I’m not good ‘nough for ya?” The voice is darker this time, an angry affliction rising to the surface.  
  
Something grabs your arm suddenly, spinning you around. You let out a surprised sound.The man stands only a foot away, hand unrelenting on your arm. He’s not letting go. “Leave me alone!” You pull your arm from his grip. Or, you try to. Oh god. He’s really not letting go!  
  
Your eyes scan the area for someone, anyone to help. There’s nobody else around. It’s getting dark. Nobody knows where you are. You don’t even know where you are. How stupid can you be?!  
  
“Ya hurt my feelings.” His tone is playful, the look in his eyes decidedly not. He begins to lean forward and you can smell the alcohol on his breath. “Gimme a kiss to make me feel better.” Oh fuck no. You start to pull away frantically, but he only tightens his grip. _Shit shit shit._ He’s too close. You can hear your heartbeat, plain as day. A panicked drumbeat echoing throughout your body. Your forgotten emotions make a quick comeback: fear, panic, pain, regret, grief…  
  
Anger.  
  
_No. FUCK this._ Your free hand curls into a fist. In a frenzied movement, you swing your fist towards his face. It hits. Hard. Pain flares up your arm. The man yells, hand letting go of your arm to fly towards his face.  
  
You don’t hesitate. You run.  
  
“You bitch!” The scream from behind you lights fire at your heals.  
  
Fast. Faster. Get out. Get away. Now.  
  
You clear the park quickly, bolting across the street without checking for cars. You make it, running down the sidewalk. People stare at you as you pass them. Nobody says anything.Your mind is frantic. You think of nothing but escape.  
  
Run. Hide. So he can’t find you. Where? Where to go? Where to hide? Where even are you? You don’t recognize anything. _Where am I? Where am I?!_  
  
An engine revs behind you. _Is that him? It can’t be. Can it? Fuck._ You need to get off the streets. It’s too easy to find you here. You take a sharp turn down an alleyway, disappearing into the dark. But you don’t stop running. The noise scatters creatures away. Cats? Rats? Giant cockroaches? Fuck if you know. Fuck if you care.  
  
You run until there is nowhere left to run. A dead end, with only two locked doors. Your legs scream at you the second you stop, begging for a break. You comply, collapsing against the dirty wall and breathing heavily. I can’t go back out there. Who knows where the asshole is. _Did he even follow me?_ You close your eyes. D _id that really happen? Holy shit! How could I be so  damn stupid? Where am I? How am I going to get home?_  
  
Eventually you get your breathing under control. You open your eyes, looking up at the sky. It’s dark, too far into the city to see any stars. Your heart screams for your friends. BP, Sans, Luke. Anyone. A loud crash echoes down the alley, startling you. You push yourself up from the wall. The critters from before? A shadow walks into your line of vision.  
  
_No way._  
  
He’s there, a menacing figure with an angry, bloody smile. The punch must have broken his nose. Or a tooth. But you can’t feel triumphant. Not here. You’re alone, cornered. All you feel is fear.  
  
“You’re gonna pay for that.” The man takes another step towards you. You push back into the brick wall, as if you can just melt into it. Your stomach turns and constricts, tears beginning to line your eyes. Is this…how you die? A few more steps and he’s directly in front of you. A hand snaps out to grab your shoulder, holding you steady against the wall. There is no escape now.  
  
The feeling of utter hopelessness rises from within. Oh how you wish that anger was back. That you were not so paralyzed with fear to do anything but shake. Even a snappy comeback. Something. Anything. Your heart calls out for help.But nothing happens.  
  
“Aww, don’t cry little lady.” Your stomach clenches at the mans coo. A hand comes forward to cup your cheek. Its gentle, but you flinch back harshly. Your head hits the wall behind you, and your vision blacks out for a moment. You close your eyes tightly, head throbbing in time with your racing heartbeat. “If you beg prettily, I’ll try not to make you blee-“A strangled sound cuts off his words, and the pressure around you is suddenly gone. A loud, sickening smack and then…nothing.  
  
Your eyes open slowly. He’s gone. You blink slowly. Still gone. Even slower, you turn your head towards the sound.  
  
Oh. Oh god. Thats a lot of blood. The scene in front of you would be at home in a horror movie. How did this happen? Why is his leg at that angle? Is that…bone? The body lets out a gurgle. He’s trying to breathe. He’s alive. Barely. Huh. You expect nausea to hit you, honestly. Or…emotion of some sort. Something at seeing this gruesome scene. But you feel nothing. Empty. _Maybe I’m in shock?_  
  
"are you okay?” Your head snaps the other direction, focusing on the glowing being in the alleyway. Sans. _Oh fuck._ It’s Sans. He is standing there, one hand reaching towards the direction of the body. It’s glowing blue. Magic, your mind whispers. But it's not just his hand that is different. His eyes, shit, are each a sight of their own. One is pitch black and the other flashes quickly between blue and yellow. His mouth is pulled into a terrifying grin. He’s a vision of nightmares.  
  
Relief fills the emptiness inside you, leading the way for the rest of your paused emotions. Sans is here. He’s here. You’re not alone. You're safe. Immediately you move to close the distance between you. “Holy shit.” The words fall from your mouth without thought. Your mind is beginning to catch up. He did that. He hurt that asshole. So easily too. The sight of that blue magic…of those eyes and grin, it _should_  send some sort of negative emotion through you, right? Where’s the fear from before? The panic? But all you feel towards him is relief. He's here.  
  
“__, are you okay?!” The deep voice repeats, flickering eye glancing quickly between you and the mess of bones and flesh behind you. As you get closer, the blue magic fades from his hands. He reaches towards you. Stops. His hands fall back to his sides.  
  
“Im okay.” You attempt to assure, stopping a mere two feet from him. The skeleton doesn't reply. The flashing eye fades away and the pinpricks of light reappear. “I’m okay.” You repeat. Oh…that had a bit of a wobble to it, didn't it? You take in a small breath and try again. “I-I’m okay.” Even worse. The tears lining your eyes begin to stream steadily down your face. Your shoulders begin to shake. Quickly, you raise a hand to cover your mouth, attempting to hide the sobs threatening to escape.  
  
“I’m not okay.”  
  
In a fluid movement, Sans takes a step towards you. Skeletal arms reach out to wrap around your back, pulling you forward. You bury your face in his shoulder, arms falling limply to your side. The dam breaks with one loud sob.  
  
You’ll never know exactly how long you stood with him in the dark alley, crying into his arms mere meters from a gasping body. Eventually the sobs quiet into sniffling. You attempt deeper breaths, attempt to get yourself under control. Exhaustion begins to creep into your bones. Your head still hurts, eyes burning but unable to shed more tears. “Thank you." You whisper.  
  
The arms around you tighten suddenly. “hold on.”You obey without question, wrapping your arms around his waist. Huh. How does he have a waist? Shouldn't his sweater just sink in?  
  
The floor disappears beneath you, pausing your thoughts. It happens too quick for you to reach. Too quick for fear or panic or emotions at all. Suddenly there is no air. But you don't need to breathe. Have you ever needed to breathe? You are everywhere. You are nowhere. Do you even exist?  
  
Your feet hit ground. Air returns and you take in a deep breath. Immediately you realize what has happened. A shortcut. You’re too emotionally exhausted to really react. For a long moment, you keep your eyes closed, your face buried in his sweater. At first, you assume he must have taken you back home. But…it’s cold. Really cold actually. Wind hits you harshly from the side, sneaking under your coat and sending shivers up your spine. The air smells…different. Fresh?  
  
Sans waits patiently until you pull back, unwrapping your arms from his unexplainable waist slowly. You open your eyes. He is looking back at you, eye lights the size of dimes. Concern is visible all through his features. You attempt a reassuring smile, but it’s weak and Sans does not look too reassured. Still, his arms fall from around you. Standing on your own again, you turn to see where you are.  
  
“What the…” The Manhattan skyline looms in front of you, bright and wonderful in the distance. It’s a sight you’ve only seen in pictures and movies. The lights brighten the sky and dance in their reflection in the water. _How is this possible? Where are we? A boat? But…we’re so high up._  
  
Oh. It hits you suddenly, the impossible idea. You look down at your feet. You're standing on a greenish metal surface. _Holy shit. No way._ But there's no mistaking the circular structure you’re standing upon, or the large spikes sticking out towards the city.  
  
Sans takes a few steps forward, deciding to sit right on the edge of the structure with his legs dangling off. It's dangerous. Crazy. “c'mon." He pats the area beside him. You pause. “i won’t let you fall.” No…you don’t think he would.  
  
_Ah, fuck it._ Taking a few steps forward, you join him. You sit close to him, leaving only an inch or two between your shoulders. And there you are, sitting dangling your feet off the side of the -holy shit- Statue of Liberty. For a long time, the two of you sit in silence. Both lost in thought. The wind is rough, sending your hair flying in all sorts of directions. It’s cold, but you don’t complain. It makes you feel alive. You cherish that feeling right now. After everything. You glance at your companion. He’s staring at the skyline, lights reflecting a bit off the white of his bones. It’s surreal, wonderful.  
  
“I can’t believe it." You say, voice almost covered entirely by the wind. His head turns towards you. “I'm here…but I was there…and he was…and you…" You can’t bring yourself to say any of it. It’s all too much right now, as if you'd break the moment you admit it. “Thank you Sans.”  
  
“it's nothing." He glances away with a shrug. You can barely hear his voice. “my fault you were even out there.”  
  
You narrow your eyes. “Sans, no. I said some shitty things that I didn’t mean. You don’t- I mean…I’m not scared of you. Not anymore. Not at all.” Letting out a long breath, you look back at the skyline. "I haven’t been for a while now.”  
  
“even after what i just did?” Visions of broken bones and blood fill your mind.  
  
“Even after all, uh, that.” You confirm, looking back at him. You meet his eyes. “You saved me. I don’t know what would have- no, I know what would have happened if you weren’t there.” You trail off, your own words hitting you harshly. If it wasn’t for Sans, you’d be in a world of hurt right now. One way or another. “I just…thank you.”  
  
Sans doesn’t reply. The two of you sit in silence for a while. In the beginning, you spend some time attempting to sort out what just happened. Eventually though, you give up. There will be years to cope with that. For now, you just want to forget the last few hours. To sit in an impossible location with a friend.  
  
A year ago, you’d never believe this would be your reality. Not in a million years. You had been living day-to-day. You had thought you were happy. You had Debbie and Luke and the diner. Everything was alright. But…looking back, you hadn't been happy. Debbie and Luke had been the only good things about that town. The rest had been…a blur of nothingness. Oh how your life has changed.  
  
And to think, it all started with a dumpster. That dumpster that became one of the most influential locations in your life. Where you met both Sans and BP. You never would have guessed that you’d make friend with either of them. But, it happened. Somehow. With that train of thought comes another wave of guilt. You really had said nasty things to Sans yesterday. You know why you’d said them, to be honest. To hurt him. You’d picked the words that you knew would hurt the worst? Why? Because he said you were selfish? Shit, why am I like this?  
  
“I’m sorry."  
  
“sorry.” _Huh?_  
  
The apologies came at the same time. You turn to face the skeleton with wide eyes. He stares back at you, expression mimicking yours. For a second, you both are quiet. Sans is the first to break, a deep laugh pulling from within him. You join in a moment later. It’s a weird laugh, ironic and a bit out of control. The type of laugh that happens during tense situations, when you want something -ANYTHING- to lighten the mood. When the weight of reality is too heavy. Its a laugh you both are familiar with.  
  
The moment doesn’t last long. The two of you quiet down pretty quickly, but reality weighs a little bit lighter on you at having fund someone to share it with. “Is this where you were today?” _When I was out looking for you? Is this where you disappear to?_  
  
“i come here to think.” He replies. “i used to spend hours here with pap. we’d come early to watch the sunset. i used to think it was the most beautiful thing.” You’re surprised at the sudden honesty, as well as the mention of his brother.  
  
“That sounds nice.” You smile at him. Part of you longs to ask more, to pry. If Sans was so close to his brother, why do they not talk now? What happened? He might actually tell you right now. It’s tempting. But, you don't know if you can take the weight of more drama at the moment. You take in a breath. “We should watch it sometime.”  
  
It’s the right thing to say. His face lights up, eye sockets widening and pinpricks of light growing slightly in size. The smile on his face relaxes slightly. More sincere. He nods. “yea.”  
  
A bony hand reaches towards you, palm up. “well, ready to go back?”  
  
Yea, you really are. You smile at him fondly and take the outstretched hand. “Beam me up Scotty.” He pauses, his eyes narrowing in confusion. Ah, no general Star Track knowledge then. “Ah, forget it." You giggle. “I’ll show you sometime."  
  
And like that, you disappear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ຮັກຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ
> 
> FIRST: The lovely ArtGauntlet on Tumblr has created [FANART](https://artgauntlet.tumblr.com/post/169529695008/okay-when-are-we-leaving-we-yes) for this story! This is so cool and I'm amazed <3 Thank you!! Everyone check them out!
> 
> It's been a while! Thanks for sticking with me :) Lots of irl situations popping up in the New Years haha. I actually have a really amazing opportunity lined up for May. If I get it I'll let ya'll know haha.  
> Honestly theres a few parts of this chapter I just couldn't get right, no matter how much I fiddled with it. 
> 
> Thank you guys SO SO SO much for all the support and love!! I know I would never have gotten this far into this if it wasn't for you guys! So thank you!!
> 
> -J <3
> 
> PS: Remember to check out the EBS Bonus Chapters on Ao3 for more feelings and emotions!


	23. The Stolen Alcohol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Descriptions of violence, torture and blood.

“Wait! Where are you-“ The door slams shut behind her. “…going?” BP blinks at the door, now alone in the too-quiet apartment. His ears slowly raise back from his skull. _What was all that about?_  
  
With a small sigh, he pushes himself up from the couch. _The least I can do is clean…._ He reaches towards the dishes, grabbing the mug first before going to pick up the plate. _Wait. Is that her phone?_  
  
His paw passes the plate entirely, picking up the old phone instead. She forgot her phone. Of course. An odd feeling of dread rises in his chest, tail beginning to poof up. Something doesn’t feel right about this. The look in her eyes as she left was so…unnatural for her. But, everyone deserves their moments of peace, right?  
  
Attempting to push away the feeling of impending doom, he unlocks the phone and rifles through the contacts. There aren’t many, and he finds the one he’s after in seconds. Without hesitation he hits the call button.The phone is not made for monsters. It’s too small for his head and doesn’t reach completely down to his mouth. It rings four times before a deep voice pics up. “Yuh?”  
  
“King, it’s BP-“  
  
“Who?”  
  
He pauses, ears going back. Ah, shit. “Uh…it’s Burgy.” He hears a sound of acknowledgement from the other side. Of course thats the name that King would know him by. Guy never would speak of him as anything other than the nickname. But it never sounds right coming from anyone but the rabbit monster. “Can I talk to Guy?”  
  
There is a pause, a grunt and the phone goes silent. BP frowns, bringing the phone up into his line of sight. It’s still connected, so he hasn’t been hung up on. But what was King doing?BP’s heart beats a bit harder than normal. The other monster had mentioned time-and-again that King is a ‘good human’, has done so many things to help out the monster. He doesn’t know how he feels about it. ‘Good humans’ don’t own other beings, right? And what he’s doing right now violates a few laws that he knows about. Monsters are not allowed to use the phone without permission from their ‘owners’, and two monsters talking to each other over the phone…that was unheard of. Would King say something? If he did, would the MRC be called over right away? What would happen to-  
  
“Burgy?” A soft voice drifts from the phone.   
  
He immediately places it back to his ear. “Hi…” He lets out a long breath in relief. Just hearing that voice calms his soul quite a bit. King hadn’t done anything except grab Guy. Thank the stars.  
  
“Whats wrong?” The voice is coated in concern. BP’s stomach turns. What does he even say? Too much has happened. He opens his mouth. Pauses, memories of the MRC headquarters playing in his mind. “I’m coming over.”  
  
His ears immediately perk up. The idea of seeing Guy today sending warmth into his chest. But… “What? Don’t you have work?”  
  
“It’s fine!” The cheerful voice insists. “I’ll be there soon.”  
  
————  
  
An hour later and no sign of Guy.   
  
BP paces quickly around the coffee table, tail swishing wildly behind him. His mind has been full of unproductive, circular thoughts for the past twenty minutes. _Why is he not here? Has something happened? What if he was attacked? What if he’s hurt?_ His breath hitches at that thought, claws appearing and retracting as he clenches his paws.   
  
A sound breaks through his thoughts. A knock.   
  
His head swings towards the direction of the front door. Immediately he races towards it.“I swear if that is fucking Jerry-“ He swings open the door, a large bang erupting from where it hits the wall.  
  
Guy stands on the other side, holding a large bag. “Not Jerry. Sorry to disappoint!" He grins. For a brief moment, BP just stares. Then the relief hits. His shoulders go down for the first time in half an hour, paws unclenching completely as he relaxes.  
  
“C’mon in.” He turns around, leading the way into the apartment. Guy follows quietly, closing and locking the door behind him. “What took you so long?”  
  
“Burgy…”A hand lands on his shoulder, forcing him to pause in his way towards the couch. Guy appears in his line of sight, eyes narrowed slightly in concern. “Were you worried?”   
  
“No.” He looks away.   
  
“I’m sorry.” Guy frowns. “ I didn’t mean to worry you. I just, well-“ His sentence cuts off as he lets go of BP’s shoulder to reach inside his bag. He watches as the other monster ruffles through it for a few moments before seemingly finding whatever he was looking for. A grin appears on his face as he pull out a bottle of-  
  
BP’s jaw drops. “No way.”   
  
“Oh yes.” Guys grin grows devious than he’s ever seen before. “Monster alcohol.”   
  
Human liquor, much like human food, does its job. Monsters can ingest both and live. Human food just tastes…off to Monsters. It’s weird and most of the energy does not convert well into the magic that Monsters need in order to survive. Eating human food will leave a Monster always half hungry. It’s similar with human liquor. Monsters can get tipsy off the stuff, but that’s all.  
  
“How?”  
  
“I’ve had it for a while actually.” Guy mutters, walking over to sit on the couch. BP follows, eyes unable to leave the bottle. “Grillby gave it for me a while back.”  
  
BP quickly turns to face the other monster. “Grillby is alive?”   
  
The other’s eyes widen for a moment, before softening.“I keep forgetting that you’ve been gone so long.” He sighs, reaching out to put a hand on the cat monsters arm. “He was here years ago. He showed up in New York with a collar around his neck. There were posters advertising him all over the city: ‘Come meet the monster of fire.’ King was able to arrange for us to go to the show and…” The monster trails off for a second, looking disturbed. Then he shakes his head. “Well anyways, that was when monster-fever was still a thing. When interest started to fade, he disappears. I haven't seen him since.”   
  
The two sit in silence for a moment. “So why bring it now?” After all these years of keeping it, likely a secret from even King.   
  
The other’s face pulls into a small smile. “You sounded like you really needed it.” Well shit, he hadn’t realized he sounded THAT bad. “Do you…want to talk about it?” BP stares at him for a few seconds. No, he doesn’t want to talk about it. But…   
  
“Give me that first.” He reaches out, grabbing the bottle from Guy and popping open the top. Raising it to his lips, he takes a small sip. A slight moan pulls from his lips at the taste. Oh, how he missed that.There is a small laugh from the side. He glances over at Guy. It takes him a second to realize why the other monster looks so amused. He feels his cheeks warm as he shoves the bottle back at Guy, who just laughs before taking a sip himself.   
  
The two are quiet for a moment, the mood continuing to shift. Eventually, Guy begins to prompt a conversation. “So, this is about the MRC headquarters?”   
  
BP nods, letting out a long, frustrated breath. “It was…horrible.” He closes his eyes. “At first it wasn’t so bad, just like a regular human office. But, the further we went the more messed up things became.” Pause. “We found a room full of dead bodies.” Guy sucks in a surprised breath. “Human and monster, both.”  
  
“Experimentation?”   
  
“Probably.” He sighs. The tightness in his chest increases. “The monsters, they looked like they’d been there for weeks. It wasn’t pretty.”  
  
“But monsters don’t-“  
  
“Yea I know.” He interrupts. “The humans were worse though. Bodies cut up, dried blood everywhere. It was…rough.” His paws start to shake. “Th-there was a body there with no head, flayed open with the insides everywhere. How can…how can humans do that to their own species? I don’t understand, I-”  
  
The world around him spins suddenly, as he’s pulled sideways into another body. He realizes he’s shaking only as Guys arms wrap around him, the other monster resting his chin between his ears. “Don’t say any more if you don’t want to.” BP goes silent, slowly trying to get his breath under control. When did it get out of control? It takes longer than he’s comfortable with to calm down, but even when he’s completely relaxed, he doesn’t pull away.   
  
“Did you tell her?” The whisper from above sends shivers down his spine. He shakes his head slowly in response. “Where is she anyways?”  
  
“Don’t know.” He mumbles. “She left.” The feeling of dread from before makes a resurgence. “She doesn’t have her phone on her.” He pulls out of Guy’s arms, sitting up. “I don’t know what to do.” It’s not like he can go look for her. A monster on their own on the streets would be arrested quickly.   
  
“What about Sans?”  
  
“Huh. What about Sans?” He looks at Guy.   
  
“He can get around the city quickly, right? Can’t he look for her?”He reaches for the phone, finding Sans’ contact information. But he pauses.  
  
“They got into a fight yesterday. It was pretty bad.” Would Sans even respond?  
  
 **6:02 pm [to Sans]:** It’s BP. She’s gone.  
  
The phone begins to ring almost immediately. Heh, he should have known better then to doubt. BP picks up after the second ring. “what do you mean she’s gone?!” Too loud. He groans, pulling the phone away from his ear.  
  
“She left Sans. Don’t know where she went. She left her phone here though.” There is a long pause, the harsh sound of wind the only thing coming through the receiver. “It’s getting dark.” He can hear the undertone of worry in his own voice.  
  
“i’ll find her.” The phone clicks off.   
  
————  
  
 **[from Sans]:** found her  
  
 **[to Sans]:** Alll gud?  
  
[ **from Sans]:** yup.   
  
**[from Sans]:** drunk already?  
  
 **[from Sans]:** its only 9  
  
 **[to Sans]:** fuk u.  
  
————  
  
For a moment you don’t exist. You do exist?   
  
You are everything. Nothing.  
  
Everywhere. Nowhere.  
  
This feeling is familiar.  
  
Then your feet hit the ground. You open your eyes, heartbeat loud in your ears. The first thing you see are familiar eye sockets staring back at you, lights the size of nickels. A feeling of comfort washes over you. You take a deep breath and attempt to calm your heart.   
  
You’re in the apartment. The familiar setting feels weird when you remember where you had just been (which, HOLY SHIT). You let go of the bony hand and look around. Everything seems exactly as you left it, almost as if nothing ever happened. It helps- a bit- to push everything aside. No, not exactly a healthy coping mechanism. But, necessary right now. You’ll unpack everything that happened tomorrow.  
  
Maybe.  
  
“looks like someone has company.” Sans’ voice brings you back to the present. You glance at hip, before following his line of vision towards the door. There is an extra set of boots tossed half-hazardly near the doorframe, an unfamiliar coat hung up near the rack. You look over to BP’s room. The door is completely closed. A small grin pulls itself onto your face. _Ah, young love._ You snicker a bit a the thought, imagining BP’s reaction to your musings. Then you notice your cellphone sitting on the coffee table. In a few steps you are able to pick it up. _Oh_   _cellphone. I’ll never leave you again._  
  
“Shit, it’s past midnight.” You sigh, sitting down on the couch. “I should probably get to bed or something.”  
  
“yea, probably.” Sans mumbles, plopping down beside you. A moment passes. You don't move.  
  
“I’m not tired though.” You feel wired, actually. You look over at the skeleton. “Star Warp?”/

“i thought it was called star track?”  
  
“Oh, no, two different things. Star Warp is essentially a space western. Sound good?” You’re rewarded with a small smile and nod. Pulling the laptop onto your lap, you open it and start to browse for online versions of the movies. It takes you a while to find it with the slower internet. Eventually everything is set up. You place the laptop on the coffee table and curl up on the couch. “Press play whenever you’re ready.”   
  
Something suddenly blocks your vision. You blink a few times before your eyes can focus on the item in front of you. A wine bottle? You look over at Sans. _Where did he even get that? And it’s half empty? How could- oh._   
  
“Should we really be stealing their alcohol?” You ask, glancing over to BP’s closed door. “There’s not enough in there to do anything anyways.” Not with either of your tolerance levels anyways. The night in the park had proven that.   
  
When you look back at Sans, a wicked grin has appeared on his face. “this is MONSTER alcohol.” _Huh? Monsters have booze?_ The confusion must be plain on your face, as he laughs. “it’s strong, trust me.”   
  
You stare at him for a moment later before shrugging and grabbing the bottle. You take a swig. The taste was…strangely missing. It tastes a bit like water. …fizzy water? …that disappeared before it hit your stomach? …what?  
  
Sans lets out a full laugh. “ah, you shoulda seen your face.” He grabs the bottle and takes a swig himself. “monster alcohol doesn’t work like human alcohol.”  
  
You can’t help but ask. “How does it work?”  
  
“magic.” He smirks. You roll your eyes, reaching over to push at him playfully. He just laughs and hands you back the bottle.   
  
————  
  
“Burgy.”   
  
_No._  
  
“Burgy, wake up!”  
  
BP groans, refusing consciousness in favour of curling up into the fluffy blanket around him. The blanket begins to shake, short sounds coming from around him. Huh? Slowly he opens his eyes to…blue fur. Craning his head up, he comes face to face with Guy. “Wha?”  
  
Guy continues to laugh, the sound moving his entire body. “It’s morning, I need to get back to the restaurant.” The other monster manages to speak in between laughing. BP stares at him for a moment longer, wondering why the other monster isn’t moving if he’s in a hurry. He looks down between the two of them. Oh.  
  
They are completely wrapped around each other. He’s laying on one of Guy’s arms, head buried into his chest. Their legs are completely intertwined and his tail had been coiled around the others waist. His cheeks begin to feel a bit warmer.   
  
“Oh, uh, yea.” He mumbles. Untangling himself from the other monster takes longer then he’d like to admit. The two of them get out of the bed, stretching before getting dressed. Guy heads towards the door, followed by BP. The other monster unlocks the door and pulls it open.   
  
“Oh!” There is a quiet gasp. Guy freezes in the doorway, effectively blocking the way. BP raises a paw to his back, pushing lightly.   
  
“Let me through.” The other monster takes a second to move, but eventually continues his way into the living room. BP uses the opportunity to follow him through. He can practically feel the excitement radiating off the other monster. What has Guy so worked up? He looks around the area quickly.   
  
_Oh, that._  
  
“don’t say a word.” The skeleton warns. The sight on the couch is not what BP expected to see this morning. Sans sits at the far end of the couch, legs up on the coffee table and leaning against the corner. The rest of the couch is taken up by her. She’s completely passed out, arm dangling off the edge and snoring lightly. Her head lays on a pillow at one side of the couch and her socked feet rest in the skeletons lap. Seriously, how is that in any way comfortable?   
  
“I guess you two made up?” He grins. “Do you want me to get her to bed?”  
  
Sans looks down for a moment. “nah, she’ll wake up soon anyways.” BP is very surprised at that reaction, honestly.   
  
“What happened?” He asks, taking a few steps forward.   
  
“stole your booze.” Sans replies through a yawn. He gestures towards the laptop. “watched some movies.”  
  
“No…” His voice drops slightly. There are tear streaks down her cheeks, as if she forgot to wipe them off. Her eyes are obviously puffy. “What happened?”   
  
For a moment Sans just looks at him. Then he shrugs. “ask her tomorrow.” His whispered words hold a tone of finality. He’ll get nothing from the other monster. Honestly, BP doesn’t know how he feels about that. The monster would mention something if it was important, right? A bit of an awkward silence follows.  
  
“i see you had a fun night.” BP’s brain freezes. What. Sans’ face suddenly houses a mischievous grin. His eyebrow bones raise expectantly, and he nods towards the door. BP turns around. Guy is standing at the door with his coat and boos on. They look a bit thin, a bit ill-fitted. BP frowns a bit.  
  
“Thanks for having me over last night!” Guy smiles widely, taking a few steps forward towards BP. In a fluid motion, the other monsters hand reaches up to cup his chin, pulling his head sightly up. He closes the gap between them.  
  
Shit, Guy really is a wonderful kisser.   
  
It’s over as quickly as it started. Guy pulls away with a soft smile, taking a few steps back. “King will be here soon to pick me up. I have to go. Bye Sans! Bye Burgy!” He gives a big wave and leaves, closing the door behind him. BP stares at the door with wide eyes, warmth pooling yet again In his chest. Then he turns around.   
  
Oh shit. He forgot about Sans. The skeleton is still in his position on the couch, but those eye lights are staring straight at him. The grin on his face has grown exponentially. Then the eyebrow bones begin to wiggle.  
  
“Oh shut up.” Ears flattening to his head, he stomps past the couch into the kitchen. It’s going to be a multiple-cups-of-coffee type day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK
> 
> ...kinda. I still don't know if I'll be able to keep up with the weekly schedule or not. We'll see. Those who follow me on Tumblr know my roommate/friend has been diagnosed with cancer. A lot has happened since then. She's moving back home when she gets out of the hospital so I need to find a new place to live. So between full-time studies, work, visiting her, finding a place to live and general social life I haven't had as much energy to write for the past bit.I do want to say that I don't think I would have returned if it wasn't for all of you! I've mentioned it before but I have all notifications send directly to my phone. So here I am doing a 10 hour shift at work or walking through a hospital and your words of encouragement come directly to me. It's SUPER motivating and honestly it made me smile every time. Thank you guys so much for that!
> 
> NOW, I know this chapter isn't the best and not too much is going on. I tend to write chapters so that nobody can tell me 'that was an unnecessary one', but after all the drama that has unfolded I sort of want to slow down a bit. Don't worry, major plot is happening soon! 
> 
> Thank you guys SO SO much again for all your support! I love you <3
> 
> -J


	24. The Striped Pig

A distant slam drags you back into unwilling consciousness. You let out a small groan, but refuse to open your eyes; taking a moment to breathe before fully committing to this ‘awake’ thing. The first thing you notice is your uncomfortable position. Usually you’re a starfish in bed, taking up all the possible space. But now, you’re laying half on your side and feel a slight pain in your back. You shuffle a bit, attempting to ease the uncomfort. As you move, you become aware of a dull pain in your head. Ugh. A hangover.  
  
"-awake?”Your eyes snap open at the deep voice, searching out the source. Sans is on the other end of the couch, a mischievous grin on his face that you’re certain can’t be for you. Your eyes slide down to his lap, where your feet currently rest.  
  
“Oh, sorry!” You exclaim, sliding your feet towards you. He shakes his head, dismissing your apology. A yawn pulls itself from your mouth, and you rub at one of your eyes absently. Why are you on the couch anyways?Another distant slam breaks you from that train of thought. You push yourself up on your elbows. If Sans is here, it must be BP slamming stuff in the kitchen. Or Guy -you suppose-, but he doesn’t seem the type.  
  
“So what’s his deal?”  
  
The skeleton lets out a small laugh, the grin on his face growing. “he’s just embarrassed.” He stretches his arms above his head. “he tried to sneak out guy this morning.” Well they were obviously unsuccessful. That imagery is great. But…  
  
“Aw, I missed it?” You mumble, finally pushing yourself into an upright cross-legged position on the couch. The two of you sit in silence for a moment, before you turn your head towards the kitchen.  
  
“BP?”  
  
“…yea?” The voice responding to your call is full of suspicion. Well, you suppose he has a right to it.  
  
“Can you make me some coffee?” Sans sends you a surprised look. You shrug. You’re not exactly planning to embarrass your friend anymore. For now. “And maybe check to see if we have any Esprin?”  
  
“Sure little buddy.”  
  
————  
  
An hour later finds the three of you sitting around the rickety kitchen table. You and BP both have now-empty cups of coffee in front of you, and Sans has a mug of…something. BP had refused to make him any coffee, but he just appeared in the kitchen with a steaming mug. The skeleton has been sipping consistently from the mug for the past forty-five minutes, but it never seems to run out.  
  
Monster magic maybe?  
  
You bite your lip nervously, forcing that train of thought to the back of your mind. You have more important things to worry about now, like how (if?) you’re going to bring up the meeting with Mettaton to Sans. You tap at the table nervously, eyes glancing at the clock. It’s still morning; there’s plenty of time for things to go wrong. Normally the three of you would be talking and joking like normal. There wouldn’t be this…silence hanging over you. BP sends you another confused look. You smile sheepishly back. You know why It's so awkward. It’s your fault really. But… can you bring yourself to say anything? Well, you kind of have to. But…do you really?  
  
You want to keep it a secret, overwhelmingly so. After all, Sans had reacted so badly last time you even mentioned his brother. But… shit you don’t want to lie to your friend (and holy shit, when did you start thinking of him as a friend?). Last night had been such a breakthrough too. The memory filters back into your mind.  
  
You and Sans sitting on top of the Statue of Liberty in the middle of the night. The wind harsh and unforgiving, the conversation anything but. It was such a surreal experience. A small smile grows on your face. But the night hadn’t been all fantastic, had it?  
  
**“Aww, don’t cry little lady. If you beg prettily, I’ll try not to make you blee-“**  
  
Your chest constricts painfully. You can still hear that voice, plain as day. Shit. The atmosphere and alcohol of last night had allowed you to push away the memories with practiced ease.  
  
**"are you okay?” Your head snaps the other direction, focusing on the glowing being in the alleyway. Sans. Oh fuck. It’s Sans.**  
  
You’d come so close. SO damned close. If it hadn't been for Sans, shit, you have no idea if you would have made it until morning. Your stomach turns over. A heat begins to form behind your eyes.  
  
“-are you okay?”Your head snaps up, towards the voice. Sans and BP sit opposite you at the table, staring at you in obvious concern.  
  
“Heh, sorry.” You sigh, letting go of the mug. “I guess I spaced a bit, huh?”  
  
“…a bit.” But the look on Sans’ face doesn’t lift. He tilts his head slightly to the side, eye sockets narrowing. You look away.  
  
An uncomfortable silence permeates the room. BP clears his throat and you can hear his tail swishing against the tiled floor.  
  
What just happened? Why did just the…memory of that voice send you into such a panic. You are okay. You survived. Nothing really even happened.  
  
_I am okay._  
  
_I survived._  
  
The mantra repeats over and over in your head. After a few moments, your breathing settles again. When did it get bad in the first place?For a while, nobody says a word. The atmosphere remains thick and awkward. You carefully avoid looking at Sans, but send BP a -hopefully- reassuring smile. He gives a small one back, ears rising only slightly from his head.  
  
You worry your bottom lip, bringing your mug up to take a drink. Oh, right. It’s empty. You place it back down on the table, the clink almost echoing in the room. Well, things can't get _that_  much more awkward, right? This might be your best chance to have the dreaded conversation. With the bonus that it must be able to get your mind off the asshole from last night.  
  
“Sans.” You finally look back at the skeleton. His eye sockets widen slightly in surprise, and he gives a kind smile. Ah, shit. If this whole thing goes bad….well, you better commit that smile to memory. “I have something to tell you.”  
  
————  
  
  
The Striped Pig turns out to be a surprisingly small and cute looking place. You don’t exactly know _what_ you were expecting but, knowing Mettaton, you had been nervous for the past few hours. This place, however, isn’t intimidating. At least from the outside. It must be pretty good, however, as a small line stands outside the door. There’s a small group of obviously tourist taking photos with the restaurants sign. You people watch for a few more moments from across the street, leaning up agains the opposite buildings brick wall.  
  
One of the tourists- a balding man likely in his forties- lets out a deep laugh, loud and sudden. You tense up immediately, pressing back into the wall and watching with wide eyes. The rest of the group begin to laugh with him, and they start to walk away. When the tourists are out of sight, you let out a long breath and look up at the sky.  
  
It’s a nice autumn day. The sun is out and the air is crisp. But something has felt...wrong the entire day. You’ve been jumpy, unnaturally frightened of others. A stranger bumped into you on the subway -not an uncommon occurrence- and you’d almost screamed. You hadn't been able to stop yourself from jolting away, however, and received quit a few weird looks.  
  
You grab at your phone in your pocket, clenching your teeth. The urge to call BP or Sans, just to hear their voices, rises within you. You berate yourself for the thoughts, forcing yourself to let go of your phone.  
  
“Hurry up!” You jump as a person walks in front of you quickly, yelling behind their shoulder. It takes your eyes a moment to focus as the person- a business women?- walks by. You look the other way, in the direction the yelling was.  
  
A short monster stumbles across the intersection, small legs possibly unable to keep up. It’s holding papers under each arm, rolled up or stapled together. You’re instantly drawn to the huge eye that encompasses most of the monsters face. That, mixed with the horns on its head remind you slightly of that green monster from Monster Co. (one of your favourite childhood movies). But it’s wearing the MRC collar, a stark reminder of harsh reality.  
  
You stand up a bit straighter as the monster stumbles past you, hands clutching into fists as you watch it struggle. The owner, a young woman dressed in a nice suit, turns around to yell at the poor creature to hurry or it’ll be ‘punished’. The monster lets out a frightened sound that tears at your heart, and pushes forward.  
  
_I can’t help him._  
  
Oh, you want to. Badly. You want to punch out the ‘owner’, or offer to buy the monster, or SOMETHING. But…shit. You don’t have enough money to buy a monster, and even the thought makes your stomach turn.Images of the Vulkin, fading away into dust, pop into your mind and send heat to your eyes. You still feel like you should have done more to that abusive asshole. You had just allowed her to walk away. She could have another monster in her possession right now. Can you allow this one to just walk away?  
  
Your hand twitches in indecision as they get further away. You are losing your chance. What would you even do? Can you afford to bring any attention to yourself? To your friends? You think of BP, of Sans, of Guy…even Jerry. Can you afford to do something that could jeopardize them? Gritting your teeth, you lean back against the wall and watch the monster until it disappears from sight.  
  
You feel like absolute garbage.  
  
A beep comes from your pocket. An alarm you’d set to tell you when to go in. You suck in a frustrated breath and push off the wall to walk across the street. It is extremely awkward to bypass the line. People send you looks of annoyance as you walk up to the front. A man with a name tag is standing guard at the door, monitoring the line. “Um, hi.” You give a small wave. “I’m, uh, supposed to be meeting with someone inside right now.”  
  
The employee- Tyler, according to his nametag- stares at you for a moment. “No.”  
  
Wait. What. “Huh?” You look up at him with wide eyes. “Listen man, I’m supposed to be meeting…” You lower your voice to a whisper. “ Mettaton in there.”  
  
“ _Riiiight_.” Okay, THATS some of the most heavy sarcasm loaded onto one word you’ve heard in a while. Damn Tyler.  
  
You cross your arms across your chest. “Okay, look.” Now you’re getting a bit impatient. You don’t have time for this. Will Mettaton be upset if you’re late? “Tyler, my man. Can you just go ask someone? Please? If they say no then I’ll leave. Just ask.” For a moment, Tyler is silent. Then he signs, turning to disappear inside the door.  
  
You fidget a bit with the edge of your sleeve, attempting to ignore the stares that you can almost physically feel hitting your back. When the door opens again, Tyler is flanked by a dark-haired man dressed in an impeccable suit. He looks like a bodyguard. A chill goes down your back as the guard(?) looks you over. Then he nods once, and holds the door open for you. You take the invitation, sending a smile to Tyler as you walk inside. He doesn’t return your look. Rude. How does someone like that even get hired here?  
  
The atmosphere inside is surprisingly comfortable, and the music is modern. Nothing is done ridiculous or over the top. But looking around the room, you don’t see any metal or bones around. “Upstairs.” The dark-haired man gestures towards a staircase leading towards a second floor. Ah. That’s a bit conspicuous. Alright then. You send the man a nervous smile and follow his lead up.  
  
The second floor of the Striped Pig is definitely meant to be a bar, but there is a moderately sized table sitting in the middle of the room. The table is dressed with candles and rose petals. You raise an eyebrow. Okay, that seems more like Mettatons taste. Speaking of, where is the-  
  
“Darling!” You flinch as the robot appears out of nowhere from the right. Mettaton freezes with his arms out. A hug? You stare at the robot without moving. He pouts a bit and lowers his arms. “Come and sit!” The metallic voice is much more joyful then the last time you’d met, more like how he sounds on TV. You follow his directions, sitting opposite him at the table. The dark-haired man leaves, and you are alone.  
  
The atmosphere changes almost instantly. The large smile drops from the robots face, settling into a contemplative look as he leans forward, elbows on the table and head in his hands. He’s studying you. You both want to look away and stare him down. In the end, you simply glance down at the table. That gaze…it’s much too intrusive. As if he can see your very soul.  
  
_Oh god this is awkward._  
  
“So…” He leans back in his chair suddenly. “Sans is back in New York?” You open your mouth to respond but pause. You look around the room. Mettaton smiles lightly. “Good.” He praises. “I eliminated all the recording devices before you arrived.”  
  
You relax only slightly, knowing that he could just as easily be lying. Still, you had to take a chance somewhere right? “Yea.”  
  
“Papy will be happy to hear that. Why did you not tell him yourself?”  
  
“I was, uh, unsure about your relationship with Sans.” You explain, looking away towards the bar. “He told us to stay away from you. I didn’t know if you were…bad?” You wince at your own wording, but the robot doesn’t react. He just fits you with the same studious stare.  
  
“And he didn’t tell you why?”  
  
“No.” But you’re damn curious.  
  
“Then it's not my place to say.” Mettaton sighs, crossing his arms in front of his chest. You feel a tint of disappointment, but push it away. “But…when we first came to New York, it wasn’t easy. People didn’t really believe in me yet. They were especially…suspicious of my relationship with Papy.” He pauses, seemingly thinking over his words. “There was an incident at about the year mark of living here. Papy got hurt, badly.” You remember the crack down the tall skeletons face and a chill goes down your spine.  
  
“Humans suck.” You whisper, looking down at the roses on the table.  
  
A sharp laugh brings your attention back to the robot. “You got it darling!" His arms uncross, laying down on the table. His voice lowers again. “I might have been… a bit harsh in how I sent Sans away. My poor Papy has never been the same, really." He lets out a long breath. Did robots need to breathe? “It was necessary. I _do not_ regret it.”  
  
You look at the robot, contemplating his words. He’s not telling you everything, obviously. And to say he…’sent’ Sans away. That doesn’t make sense. Sans can teleport, he can’t be forced to be anywhere, right?  
  
“Why are you telling me this?” The question is out of your mouth before you know it.  
  
“I was watching you.” Mettaton gestures with his hand towards the window. Your eyes widen in surprise. “I admit, I’m curious about the type of human who could get a human-hater like Sans to trust them.” He pauses, raising a finger to tap at his chin. “So, when I saw you out there I just couldn’t resist a little look! And my-my it was perfect timing, when the little Loox walked by.”  
  
“Loox?”  
  
“The monster, darling, do keep up.” Mettaton sighs. You suck in a deep breath, remembering the small, scarred monster. Along with the memory returns the feelings of absolute guilt and disappointment. You look away from the robot, hands clenching into fists. “Oh, don’t get stress lines. You did fine.”  
  
Wait. You look back to Mettaton in shock. “What?”  
  
The robot levels you with an unreadable stare. “Was the Loox in immediate trouble?”  
  
“No…”  
  
“Was it hurt? Scarred?”  
  
“No but-“  
  
“No buts.” A robotic finger waves in the air, interrupting you. “We can’t fight everyone, at least without giving ourselves away. I believe you know why that would be not good.” At your nod, Mettaton sighs. “As much as we want to, we can't interfere in any non-dire circumstances.” The others words are…reassuring. A bit. You still don’t feel right about it. “I can tell you care.” The metallic voice is softer then you've ever heard it. “There used to be a lot of people who cared, in the beginning. Humans and monsters fought loudly and angrily alongside for equality once. You know what happened? They died.”  
  
You look down at the tablecloth, unable to lock eyes with the monster. The original resistance had been broadcasted across the globe. You remember being young, watching the TV with rapt attention. It hadn’t seemed real, almost like a cartoon. People had cheered it on like they would a football game.  
  
“This…revolution, whatever you want to call it…wont be won if we spread ourselves too thin. We learned this last time. If we fight every battle, we lose more allies than we help. There are so few of us now.” His voice is carefully steady, as only a public figure’s can be. “Now, we move in the shadows, at night, planning one coordinated attack of all we have left. That’s our only chance.”  
  
The two of you fall into silence. You contemplate what you just heard. It makes sense, although it doesn’t really sit well with you. You think about what could have happened if you had said something about the Loox. Would you have gotten in a verbal fight? A physical one? Maybe the police would have been called? The MRC? There were monsters involved after all. In the end, there’s no way you would have made this meeting.Mettaton would have watched from the window as you fought. You wonder briefly what he would have thought. But you know now, he wouldn’t interfere. His roll in this is too important for him to get involved in something so small. He wouldn’t give away years of work for this, for you. Its a sobering thought.   
  
Suddenly your vision is covered in yellow. No. Gold. You blink a few times, spiralling thoughts stopping as you attempt to focus on what is in front of you. You can make out letters. A ticket?  
  
You frown. “Whats this?” Reaching out, you accept the tickets and squint at the cursive writing.  
  
_METTATON’S HALLOWEEN GALA_.  
  
No way. You look up at the robot in shock. Mettaton's parties are legendary with celebrities appearing from around the country, occasionally even the world.  
  
“It has a plus one, for Sans.” The robot leans back in the chair with a smile. “It’s a costume party, with at 1990’s theme.”  
  
“The 90's?" You question. “Oh, to make you seem more relatable as a human?” You study the ticket a bit more. It must be worth thousands of dollars. And it's here in your hands. For you. Wow.  
  
“Sans told you that too?” You look up at Mettaton for a moment. His perfect eyebrows are raised in shock. Sans told you what? You replay the previous conversation in your head. Oh, _OH_. He didn’t know that you know he is a monster.  
  
“Uh, well.” You put the ticket on the table. “Not exactly. BP mentioned it.”  
  
“BP?” Mettaton tilts his head to the side, tapping on his cheek and producing a soft clinking sound. “Oh, Burgerpants?!” He pauses, eyes widening.  
  
You nod with a small smile. “He's a friend of mine. Told me that you were his boss in the underground.”  
  
The monster stares at you with wide eyes, his mouth forming into a smile. “Oh, darling you have to-“  
  
A sudden commotion from the staircase interrupts his words. “METT WHY WAS I TOLD TO WAIT DOWNSTAIRS- OH MY-“ You turn around at the booming sound of Papyrus’ voice. The skeleton is standing at the top of the stairs, looking between you and Mettaton with gloved hands on his cheeks. “YOU TWO ARE BECOMING BEST FRIENDS?!”  
  
“Of course Papy!” Mettaton takes the intrusion in stride, reaching over to rest a hand on your arm. You don’t flinch at all, _huh_. “I’m sorry they made you wait downstairs.”  
  
But Papyrus is over that. He takes two long-legged steps forward until he is beside you, reaching forward his gloved hands to encompass yours. “THIS IS THE BEST SURPRISE!” You can’t help the laugh that pulls from within you. Something about Papyrus just makes you happy.  
  
————  
  
Both of the monsters insisted that you stay for dinner, all expenses paid. You couldn’t find it in you to refuse Papyrus’ face. The dinner was wonderful actually. The best food you’ve had in a while. And the conversation was hectic but fun. You found yourself laughing along most of the time. Mettaton seems to have relaxed completely around you.  
  
In the end, you decline the offer for a ride home. You need the time to think. The three of you pile out the back entrance where a car is waiting for them. Papyrus pulls you into a big hug goodbye, and pats you on the head before heading out to the car. You watch him get in with a smile and turn back to the robot.  
  
“Here.” He’s holding out another ticket. “It’s for Burgerpants.” You accept the ticket, placing it with the original in your wallet. You’re very conscious of the fact that you now have two very valuable items on your person.  
  
“Thank you." You smile. “For this and for…giving me a chance.”  
  
The robot stares at you for a moment, before metallic limbs rush out towards you. He places his hands on your shoulders, leaning in. “I see why Sans likes you.” And thats all. He sends you a wink and turns away, following Papyrus into the car.  
  
The car pulls away and you’re left alone behind the building, a bit confused by the heat you feel beginning in your cheeks. You begin your walk towards the main streets, snorting unattractively when you have to walk by a line of dumpsters. How fitting.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO MY LOVES
> 
> Like I said last chapter, I'm definitely not abandoning this story. Things remain super hectic irl right now though, and while I have time to write I don't for editing. 
> 
> This chapter gave me issue after issue and it's a little disjointed but I'm tentatively happy with it at the moment. I've had a few people ask me why my fic is so happy, and honestly I love to write happiness and things going well. However, get ready because everything is going to change in the next few chapters! 
> 
> Thank you ALL for sticking with me! Your comments and kudos are actually the only reason I have any motivation to continue this at the moment. And I appreciate you all so much for it!
> 
> -J


	25. The Kingly Coffee

“Remind me why I need to be here again?”  
  
You send a sympathetic look to BP as he steps out of the way of yet another person not paying attention to where they are going. NYC has been weird about that. Monsters are around enough that people don’t stare as the two of you walk down the street. That should be a good thing, but it seems to have flipped completely in the opposite direction. People ignore BP completely, often running into him and then yelling at you to control ‘your monster’. Ugh.  
  
“The quicker we do this, the quicker we can leave.” You reply, flipping through the packets in front of you. No. No. No. No. Maybe…. eh, no.  
  
“What about this?” BP’s voice is full of sarcasm as he holds up a packet with a generic skimpy maid uniform.  
  
“Thats what you want Guy to wear?” You reply with a snicker, revelling in how quickly BP’s cheeks get darker. The monster stutters and puts the packet back. “It needs to be 90’s themed. As in, stuff that was around in the year between 1990 and 1999.”  
  
“Well I won’t be any help with that.” The cat replies, reaching his arms up to stretch.  
  
“I know.” You sigh, going back to the costume packets. “I need you here for sizing. I can get a general idea for me, you and Sans.” You’ve lived long enough with them to guess. “But I have no idea about Guy.”You turn around and walk towards another section. BP follows closely behind you.  
  
That section ends up being completely useless. It’s frustrating, really. You have extremely specific needs for these costumes. They have to be more than just 90’s themed and the correct size. BP and Guy’s costumes need to be full-body, as the only monster officially allowed at the party is Papyrus. So their costume needs to cover everything. Sans can maybe get away with a more revealing one, but you’re not too sure. Honestly, you’re not too sure of this entire thing.  
  
Ah, fuck if you know. But you’re damn well going to try. Getting Sans to agree to the entire thing had been…easier than expected. You suspect it has something to do with the fact that Papyrus will be there, and silently vow to get them to meet up somehow.  
  
By the end of the next section you begin to lose hope. At the very least, you can throw together three Yell costumes for the boys. The horror movie villain with its dark cloak and white mask is perfect to cover up everything. But three people going to an event together all dressed as Yell will definitely raise some flags.  
  
You flip through the packets, wishing for another option. You pause.  
  
_Wait. What is this…_  
  
_This could work. Maybe._  
  
Holy shit. You raise a hand to your mouth, covering the growing grin. It’s a risk. Sans might not even let you do it but…oh it’s perfect. Now you just need to find some companioning outfits.  
  
————  
  
“We’re back!” You call out as you open the door. Sans waves from the couch, laptop rested on his lap. You slide off your coat and boots, happy to be away from the increasing chill of outdoors.  
  
“what did you get?” You jump, looking up towards the voice. The skeleton is right there, less than a foot away from you. How? He made no sound.  


“Did you just….” You blink. “From the couch?”  
  
Sans gives you a lazy grin and reaches his hand forward for the bag. You pull it back from his reach. His grin falters a bit. “Okay, so. I found something where we can all go as a theme. We’ll be less likely to be checked then.” You think, anyways. “And the one I found for you is amazing but…” You trail off. Sans stares at you in suspicion, eye lights flickering between you and BP.  
  
“I’m staying out of it.” BP raises his hands up in dismissal, and walks over to the couch. The skeleton just shifts his gaze to you. Okay. Now that you’re here, facing Sans, this doesn’t seem like that good of an idea. You should have just gone with the Yell costumes.  
  
“So…you don’t exactly need your nose…hole right?”  
  
“…what”  
  
Anxiously you hold out the bag for Sans to take. He grabs it, rifling through the packets with a confused look on his face. Then he pauses. Oh, he found it. He pulls out a package and stares at it.  
  
You hold your breath as he looks through the rest of the bag, finding the container at the bottom.  
  
“so you want to…?” He holds up the container, pointing at his nose with the hand holding the bag. You nod once, watching for any sign of discontentment from the skeleton.  
  
But Sans lets out a laugh, shoulders relaxing. “that’s it? damn, ____, you had me thinking it was way worse.”  
  
Your eyes widen. “So you’ll do it?”  
  
He shrugs. “sure.”  
  
You smile widely at the skeleton. He smiles back.  
  
————  
  
Two days later, the apartment is a wildly different atmosphere.  
  
You’re running late. The original plan had been to leave at 7 p.m. It’s 7:30 p.m already. You still need to shower and get dressed, the apartment looks like a tornado has gone through, and Guy hasn’t even arrived yet. Overall, it’s chaos.  
  
Cupboards swing open and slam close in the kitchen.“Sans!” You call out, pulling out your costume packet for the first time. “Any luck?”  
  
Another slam. “nope.”  
  
You let out a long puff of air before turning to look at BP. The monster is sitting quietly on the couch in his robes, hood pulled down. His claws tap away at your cellphone, his tail swishing back and forth above his mask laying beside him.  
  
“Any word from Guy?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Running a hand through your hair, you grimace. “I'm going to go take a hot shower. While I’m in there can you _please_ help Sans find the damn nose?” BP looks up from the phone at your pleading tone. He nods, pushing himself up from the couch. He doesn’t let go of the phone.  
  
Heading into your bedroom, you open the costume packet and pull out your robes. They’ll be wrinkled tonight, but nothing you can do now. You lay them out on the bed and pull out the cheap round plastic glasses. Well, it’ll do.  
  
Grabbing a towel, you head into the bathroom and start the shower. The hot water feels heavenly on your skin, and you allow yourself a moment to relax. Physically, anyways. Your mind is reeling, trying to predict possible hitches in your plan.  
  
All the costumes are cheap and simple, which acts as a positive in this case. Simplicity means less chances for wardrobe malfunctions, right? You’re just hoping that the simplicity doesn’t attract negative attention amongst the rich guests. Sans’ nose -if you can even really call it that- had been the most complicated part of the costume, and that had been just a DIY paper mache thing. It had taken hours and many failed attempts to make. You pray he finds it.  
  
The ticket check worries you the most. If the bouncer attempts to physically check any of the monsters costumes, there is no way to hide them. Maybe Sans can teleport away with the boys if it gets bad? You’d have to talk to him about that.  
  
“Sans found the nose.”  
  
You scream, sliding backwards in the tub. BP’s face is visible on the other side of the  **clear** shower curtain, popping in through an open door. Shit!  
  
“LEAVE!” You manage to shriek out.  
  
BP’s ears flatten against his head. “…not like I haven’t seen it before…” You hear the grumble as the door slowly closes. “…just figured you’d want to know.”  
  
“Not the point!” You crouch lower in the tub, covering your bits.  
  
“what? you’ve seen her naked?”  
  
Oh good. That’s Sans. Right outside the door as well.  
  
“Close the damn door!” You scream out. The door clicks closed. You rest your eyes, promising to never forget to lock that damn door again.  
  
You quickly finish upin the shower, all relaxation gone at this point. When you step out of the tub, you grab at your towel and begin to dry off. As you wrap your towel around your body, a twinge of annoyance grows.  _The fuck BP?!_  
  
Silently you slide out of the bathroom, crossing the small hall to your room. As you lock the door, you glance at the time on the clock. 7:50 p.m. No more time to relax. You throw on your robes, using a clip to keep the wet hair out of your face and head outside to lay into the cat monster.  
  
But instead, you find BP and Guy talking in whispers on the couch. Sans -dressed in his own robes- leans against a nearby wall, somber look on his face. This is…serious. Guy’s ears are completely drooped as he talks, his hands holding a steaming mug of coffee. You immediately forget your annoyance.  
  
“Hey Guy, glad you made it.” You announce yourself, walking up. The monsters stop their conversation and look up. “Everything okay?”  
  
BP and Guy share a look. Guy shrugs, and BP speaks. “King is being a dick.”  
  
“Uh, elaborate?”  
  
“He’s being…” Guy mutters. “I don’t know. He’s never been like this before but… he really didn’t want me to come out today. We got into an argument and he-“ His voice breaks. “I think he was going to actually order me to stay in. He’s never done that before. Never.”  
  
“Ah, shit.” You carefully sit down on the arm of the couch, putting a tentative hand on Guys shoulder. He doesn’t react. “How did you get out?”  
  
Guy lets out a sigh. “I managed to distract him from actually making the order. He thinks he did. He then went to the liquor cabinet and attempted to drink the entire thing. Passed out pretty fast.” A dry laugh. “Gonna be pissed when he wakes up and I’m gone.”  
  
What could you even say to that? “Damn…” You give him a comforting smile, squeezing his shoulder lightly.  
  
“Anyways, sorry I’m late.”  
  
“Nah, don’t worry about it.” Your smile grows a bit as his ears start to right themselves. “We’re late anyways, because _someone_ -“ You give Sans a look. “lost their costume.” When you look back at Guy, he has a small smile on his face.  
  
You feel eyes on your side. Looking over you notice BP’s stare. The cat monster begins to alternate between looking pointedly at you and Guy. Oh. Does he want to be alone? You give a small nod, and your friend sends a relieved look back.  
  
“C’mon Sans.” You stand up, hands attempting to straighten your robes. “I’ll help you with the rest.”  
  
You walk into the kitchen, expecting the skeleton to follow. Sure enough, you hear padded footsteps on the tile behind you. Pulling out a chair from the table you sit down, gesturing for him to do the same. He follows suit, pulling the chair in front of you so you can focus on his face.  
  
He passes you the paper mache piece. You grab the glue off the table and begin to apply it. “So where was it hiding?”  
  
“who nose.”  
  
You pause, looking back at the skeleton with wide eyes. “Was that-“ Your mouth closes. Sans has a huge grin on his face, eyebrow bones wiggling. “That was horrible.” But you laugh as you say it, his pun breaking the tense atmosphere. The skeleton chuckles in response. “Okay, sit still."  
  
San sits surprisingly still as you attempt to fasten the paper mache to his face. You’d be bringing extra glue just in-case, but you’re hoping you wont even need it. Finally, the piece seems to be ready and you sit back. It stays -thank god- and doesn't look half bad. Next you’ll use make-up to help blend it into his bones. But will it fool everyone? You reach forward and poke it gently. It doesn’t move.  
  
“Does it feel okay?”  
  
“uh-huh.” He reaches up a hand to poke at it himself.  
  
It hits you how different your relationship with this monster has become. He hadn’t flinched once as your hands worked around his face. It’s an act of trust that you never thought you’d receive with him. Not with how everything started.  
  
“so…” Sans’ voice breaks you from your thoughts. “bp saw you naked?”  
  
You let out a groan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO AGAIN MY LOVES
> 
> Short and sweet? Kinda vague? WELL I just wanted to get SOMETHING out, especially after all this time. The next chapter things get really going again.
> 
> SO I've had a super busy month. I moved, worked, been visiting the hospital for my friend, kitty had a health scare, etc. Today is the first day I've had nothing to do since...early April. Things are FINALLY slowing down a bit so I can post :D
> 
> I love you all! Thanks for all your support <3 You guys keep me going!
> 
> -J


	26. The Hors D'oeuvres

It’s a miracle that the four of you are dressed and ready to leave by eight. You rush out the door, pausing just for a moment for BP to lock up. But that’s all it takes.  
  
“Hey guys! Where are we going?”  
  
It’s Jerry. Licking a powdery substance off his lands loudly. Disgusting. A quiet groan comes from behind Guy’s mask. Damn, even Guy isn’t a Jerry fan. Well, it's not like you are either. You've seen enough Jerry for a lifetime. Huh, that raises a question. Why have you been seeing so much of him? You rarely saw your neighbours at your old place but Jerry just seems to be ‘coincidentally' wherever you go. Has he been waiting outside your apartment? Ugh, that WOULD just be like him.  
  
Everyone pauses, uncomfortable. There isn't time to ditch him tactfully. The Ball has already started! Mettaton and Papyrus are waiting.  
  
“We have to go.” Your answer is simply to turn away, starting dow the hall. You hear the boys following behind you immediately.  
  
“Hey! W-wait!” His voice echoes behind you, but you ignore it. He doesn’t follow, and soon you’re opening the doors to outside. It’s dark already, wind sending chills up your spine. You realize you forgot you jacket on the hook in front of the door. _GREAT._ Well you're not going back for that. Not with Jerry there.  
  
A quick walk and you make it to a main street. The boys are quiet, nervous. It isn’t normal for them to be just walking down the street. But nobody you pass gives you a second look. People are used to costumes. Hailing a cab is easy on the main streets. The monsters pile into the back so you slide into the front. The driver doesn't say a word, which is a win in your opinion. He'd be protesting if he knew they were monsters. Cases like this used to be in the news all the time. Huh. _Is this any of their first times in a cab?_ There's still so much you just don't know. Even about BP. They keep their pasts extremely private. Well, you don't blame them.  
  
You inform the driver of the venue- a huge museum- and he takes off. You make small talk with the driver to distract him from any possible red-flags coming from his other passengers. Overall they stay quiet…which is a bit intimidating when two of them are in masks.  
  
The driver pulls up a few blocks away from the museum, stating that he wont be able to get closer. You pay him as the others get out, before emerging yourself. None of you say a word, nervous energy almost physical in the are. You head towards the museum.  
  
“Oh, wow.”  
  
As you approach, the chaos increases: paparazzi swarm the outside, people taking selfies and waiting for a glimpse of a famous guest. It’s an absolute madhouse. You pause. Shit. Can we get away with this? If even one person suspects something, we’re all screwed. You can't afford for them to look closely at any of their costumes. You send a nervous glance at the others.  
  
A gloved hand reaches out from under the robe, grabbing yours. BP- you assume anyways- squeezes it briefly, before letting it drop. It’s a small act of comfort, sure, but affective none-the-less. You take in a deep breath and attempt to steady your heart. Then you begin to walk. The monsters stay close behind you as you navigate through the crowd. You’re practically buzzing inside with nerves. Your thoughts racing uncontrollably, circular thoughts with no solution.  
  
_Someone is going to notice._  
  
_There’s so many people here._  
  
_There’s no way this will work. What was I thinking?!_  
  
_We’re so screwed._  
  
…  
  
…  
  
…  
  
But nothing happens.  
  
You make it close enough to see the beginnings of a huge red carpet leading into the event. Security litter the area. Two of them stand on either side of the entrance. They are armed. Most likely there to check tickets.  
  
You pause, taking a deep breath to steady yourself.  
  
“Sans?” You whisper, before realizing he probably can’t hear you amongst all the noise.  
  
Yet, he does. “yea?” He’s at your side, eye lights glancing at you out of the corner of his sockets.  
  
“If things go wrong…” You start slowly. “Get the boys out of here.”  
  
“of course. ” He says without missing a beat. Then he pauses. “and you, you mean?”  
  
Theres a long moment of silence between you. “You guys are more important to this whole thing than me.” It’s a fact that Mettaton unintentionally -or intentionally, who knows with the robot - helped you realize. Sans, BP, and Guy each have  _something_ to give to this revolution. What dO you have? “If it comes down to it, leave me behind.”  
  
You risk a glance at Sans. The skeletons eye sockets are wide. He opens his mouth to respond.  
  
“Are we going?” Guys nervous voice breaks the tension surrounding you. He has stepped up to your other side.  
  
You give him a smile and nod. “Sorry.” Ignoring the looks you can just  _feel_ Sans sending, you begin to walk towards the bouncer.As you get closer, the man turns towards you. His harsh eyes glance over all the costumes.  
  
_You're so screwed.  
  
__There is still time to back out._  
  
“Tickets?” You swallow harshly, reaching into your purse to grab the tickets. For a brief moment your hands clutch at air and your heart drops. Then you find them.Your hand shakes as you hand them over.  
  
The bouncer examines the tickets. “For the four of us.” You say uselessly, pointing behind you are the boys. Your heart is pounding hard in your chest.  
  
There is a long moment where you're SURE that he's going to ask more. But then he rips off a part and hands back the rest. “Nice costume.”  
  
“Uh, what?” You place them back in your purse, and stare at the man.  
  
“Harriet Potter is my daughters favourite right now.” The man smiles, and suddenly he’s human. In the way faceless terrors just cannot be. Something settles just a little inside you.  
  
“It’s uh, truly multi-generational.”  
  
"What made you go with villains?"  
  
You've practiced this. “Well, these two are obsessed with the Death Chompers. It was an easy choice. “ You point at BP and Guy. One of them raises their hand to wave. "And if I’m Harriet Potter, I need to have my nemesis.”  
  
Sans twirls his want in his hand, and in a surprisingly good impression of He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named says “Avada Kedavra.”  
  
The bouncer chuckles, gesturing towards the carpet. “Well have fun.”  
  
You step onto the red carpet, head reeling. _It worked? How did it work?_  
  
Someone -you’re not entirely sure who- grabs your arm, leading you down the carpet. A few people take pictures of your group as you go, but you all walk past the designated photo-spot without stopping. The less evidence the better.  
  
There's another line once you're inside. A bag check. Luckily they seem to be only checking bags, not costumes. You watch others go through easily. Wait.  
  
“Is that Kimi Kardasheen?” You whisper towards Sans. You receive only a shrug in return. _Damnit_.  
  
——  
  
9:30 p.m  
  
And finally, you’re inside the Mett Gala.  
  
You have to pause a few steps in, eyes wide. The main area- a huge dimmed ballroom- is cloaked in purples and oranges, lights sending shadows dancing across the ceiling. A large chandelier in the middle reflects glittering light downwards to the dance floor. A small group of costumed people dance below, an obviously choreographed and professional dance. The left side of the ballroom has a higher level -just a few steps up- where couches and tables are placed so people can relax. People have already taken up most of the tables. You squint in the direction of a big crowd. Is that… Cardi C?  
  
Holy shit.  
  
This is…not like any halloween party you have ever been too. Well, _duh._  
  
You startle lightly as a hand rests on your shoulder. Looking over, you recognize one of your hooded Death Chompers. Is it BP or Guy? You honestly can’t tell. Its a bit unnerving actually. BP or Guy gestures with his head towards the right wall. You follow the line of sight. A huge table of appetizers sits along the wall. Your stomach clenches just looking at it. None of you had eaten in the chaos of before.  
  
You nod and look over to Sans. The skeleton is looking over the people in the crowd. You’re pretty sure it’s not the make-up that is creating such a weird look on his face. You try to imagine what he’s going through. When you had first mentioned the plan, he seemed excited. Why is he acting like this now? Reaching over, you grab his wrist loosely. He looks over at you, returning your smile with one of his own. He suddenly looks normal again. You don’t buy it.  
  
Either way, you pull at his arm and head towards the food table. He doesn’t put up a fight, letting you pull him along behind you through the crowd. You make it to the table pretty quickly and your eyes light up at the spread in front of you. It all looks like something off the Food Net. A quick glance back at Sans shows he’s less interested, looking back towards the crowds. You frown.  
  
Out of the corner of your eye you see the two Death Chomper costumes start to pick out food. Standing beside each other, you can tell which one is which. BP has always been a bit shorter than Guy.  
  
A tray is suddenly pushed into your sight. You blink rapidly at the weird glasses filled half-way with liquid presented to you. Turning your head, you find the man holding the tray. He’s wearing aButler’s uniform, the top half of his face covered in an intricate mask. He smiles at you.  
  
“Sorry, what is it?”  
  
A loud sound blares from the speakers, a new song beginning that you don’t recognize. You see the man speak, but hear nothing.  
  
“What?”  
  
You see his mouth moving again, but hear nothing. The new song drowns his words before they reach you. He looks at you, holding out the tray. Feeling a bit awkward you take a glass. The man holds the tray out for Sans, who reaches out to grab one as well.  
  
“Uh, thanks!” You raise the glass in thanks. Sans follows your lead and the butler disappears into the fray. Turning to look at your friend, you point at the glass and give him a confused look.  
  
He just shrugs. You look down at the liquid. It looks a bit…green? Is it a mixed drink? Or the lighting? Leaning forward you sniff at the glass, immediately wrinkling your nose. Strong then, alright.  
  
You catch Sans eye again, shrugging at his inquisitive look. The two of you stare at each other for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then Sans’ shoulders shake a bit. Laughing? He holds out his glass, looking at you expectantly.  
  
It takes you a moment to realize what he wants. A smile begins on your face. You hold out your glass too, unable to hear the glasses clinking together.  
  
Well, bottoms up.  
  
——————  
  
10:30 p.m.  
  
No sign at all of Mettaton or Papyrus. Honestly, you’re getting really nervous. _What if they don't show? Has something happened to them? Has the MRC caught up with you?_ The thought freaks you out.  
  
The others are getting restless as well. BP and Guy have eaten more food than you'd think was possible. They've been subtly circling the tables waiting for new food. It’s a bit hard for them to eat under the costumes, but they've been managing quite well. Nobody seems overtly suspicious anyways. Sans has stuck by you. He hasn't stopped tapping on the table you two are at for the past ten minutes. His eye lights constantly scan the crowd looking for…something. Papyrus? The MRC? Both? You don't ask. Not that you can blame the guy. He was brought here with the idea that he'd see his brother again, and that hasn't happened. You’re beginning to worry that he'll leave here dissapointed.  
  
Another minute of **‘tap,tap,tap,tap,tap’** and you've had enough. You stand up, pointing at your empty plate. Sans nods and you head towards the boys. They’re beside the appetizers as usual.  
  
As you walk up, the shorter costume -BP- turns towards you. "So, where’s the robot?"  
  
You shrug, looking around. "No idea. He has to show right? I mean, this  _is_ his event.” Your voice betrays your worry, and Guy reaches over to pat your shoulder. For a moment, the three of you are lost for things to say. Another song begins to play.  
  
“Are y’all talking about Mettaton?”  
  
You all turn towards the voice. A middle-aged man stands holding a glass of the unknown liquid. He looks…normal enough. You take the opportunity. "Yea, see I’m a BIG fan. I was hoping to meet him tonight but I don't think he's going to show.”  
  
The man laughs. "Nah, he’s always late. Something about being fashionably late and making a big entrance?" He laughs again. You look over at BP and Guy who look...well, you can't see their faces at all. But they must be as relieved as you.  
  
“Oh, thank you!” You turn back to the man with a smile, ready to leave now with new information for Sans. Hopefully he’ll be able to calm down a bit.  
  
“Pleasure to be of service sweetie.” You cringe inside at the nickname. " Anything for a fan of my Mettaton."  
  
_What?_ ”Your Mettaton?”  
  
“Yea.” He leans in closer. “I'm his producer. I’m actually pretty famous on my own. How about I tell you about it over a dance sweet thing?”  
  
You freeze. “Uh..." How to escape this, how to escape, how to- "T-this song isn’t really a good one to dance to."  
  
“Nonsense, c’mon!" A hand grabs your arm and you're suddenly being dragged towards the dance floor. You look back at your friends for help, but only covered faces stare back. It sends a chill down your spine.  
  
The two of you end up in the middle of dancing costumed bodies. Claustrophobia threatens to close in on you. You don't want to be here. You close your eyes, heart rate picking up. You don't want to be here at all.  
  
_Woah. Calm down._ You take a deeper breath. _What’s wrong with me? This isn't that bad. You're completely overreacting. Girls get asked to dance all the time. He’s been nice. It's just a dance. There isn't anything to get upset over._  
  
But...something just feels so wrong. You push back memories of a dark alleyway and blood and horror.  
  
**_No_**.  
  
_This is supposed to be a fun night. Celebrities and 90's music. Don't mess this up by freaking out._  
  
Hands on your hips pull you back to reality. You look up at the smiling man. Oh, you don't even know his name. Did he even say it? You don’t know where to out your hands, and awkwardly place them on his chest.  
  
“So, where'd you get that cute accent?"  
  
You pause. “What?”  
  
The two of you look at each other in silence. When he figures out you are not going to say anything else, he gives you a weird look and shrugs. Then he begins to move, leading you in a dance. Well…here you are then. Slow dancing to a song that definitely is not meant to be slow danced to. It's weird and uncomfortable.He is talking again, but you don't soak in any of his words. He doesn't seem to be waiting for a response anyways. A monologuer. In a way, you got lucky. You don't really want to talk.  
  
“can I step in here?”  
  
Relief hits you instantly. Your head swings towards the voice. Sans. He looks at you with a smile and reaches out his hand. You return a shaky smile and reach out.  
  
“Wait your turn?” Hands clutch tighter at your hips. You look back at him with a frown.  
  
“Let go of me.” The words are a bit shakier than you'd like, but they seem to do the trick. The man looks at you with a furrowed brow before throwing his hands up.  
  
“Whatever.” He turns to walk away, but stops to look at Sans. “Keep a better eye on your girl.” You open your mouth in shock. _The hell?_ The man walks away. You watch him until he disappears, then turn to Sans.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
The skeleton shrugs. “no problem. bp said you looked like you needed some help.”  
  
“BP, the real MVP.” You smile. The dance floor seems a lot less claustrophobic with him here. “So, do you really want to dance? I mean, uh, we don't have to dance  _together_  but- you know what I mean."  
  
Sans snickers, but shakes his head. “uh, no. i have two left feet.”  
  
Ah. Alright then. A small sting of disappointment hits your chest. “Oh, okay. Bummer. Back to the tables then?”  
  
“sounds good."  
  
———-  
  
11 p.m  
  
Still no sign of them.  
  
The good is great, and the music brings on waves of nostalgia but you can't really get into the moment. You’re held captive by a nagging worry, unable to really enjoy the moment. You shotgun the last of your glass of unknown liquid. Ugh.  
  
You're at a standing table at the side, mini plate full of food you don't know the name of and humming along to the songs. People watching has been the only way to pass the time. So far you’ve noticed Gambinish Child, the hybrid car guy who's name you forget, Dana Del Ray, Jay Smith and Mike C Jordan walking around.  
  
It's really exciting to see all these people in real life. People you've only seen on TV or in movies. A large part of you wants to go up and talk to them, maybe get a selfie. This will be your only opportunity. But it this really that type of event? Will you bring attention to yourself? You really can't afford that.  
  
Your mind naturally shifts to Debbie and Luke, the movie marathon nights full of popcorn and laughter. Both of them would freak if they knew where you were. Debbie had always been a bit more starstruck than you. And Luke was the biggest Gambinish Child fan you knew. He IS the biggest fan. IS. You can't start thinking of him in the past.  
  
You miss them. You miss the jokes, the fun, the freedom. You miss the trust, the honesty, the love.Shit, you really miss them. What would they say about where you are now? Would they be proud? Your heart begins to ache. What you would give to call Debbie right now. But you can’t. You can’t risk Sans or BP or Guy, hell, not even Jerry like that.  
  
A new song begins, one of Debbie’s favourites. You let out a breath through clenched teeth. Debbie was on her way to Ebbot last you heard from her. When was that? Months ago? Is he even okay? And Luke...god knows where he is. A heat begins behind your eyes. Fuck.  
  
“hey.” A voice to your left. You look over to find Sans, holding some unknown liquid of his own. When did he get beside you? The skeleton wiggles his eyebrow bone. You narrow your eyes in confusion. The hell? He shakes his head with a smile and points with his thumb over to the dancer floor. You look over.  
  
Holy shit.  
  
Your jaw drops. This is so much better than any celebrity.  
  
**_‘-And I'm wondering what you’re dreaming,  
Wondering if it’s me you're seeing.’_**  
  
Right on the edge of the dance floor, two Death Chompers slow-dance. It's a bit awkward with the costumes, and drags an almost hysterical giggle out of you. You wish you had a camera, this is gold.  
  
‘ ** _Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we’re together.;_**  
  
But the humour begins to fall away as you watch them dance. Those aren’t just two Death Chomper costumes. That’s BP and Guy. You can picture them in your mind, blush red cheeks and goofy smiles. You wonder how Guy convinced BP to dance with him. Then again…  
  
‘ ** _’I just want to stay with you in this moment forever.’_**  
  
The shorter costume (BP) leans forward, resting his head on the others shoulder. Your heart does a weird floppy thing. You raise a hand to cover your mouth.  
  
‘ ** _I don't want to close my eyes,  
I don't want to fall asleep,  
‘cause I’d miss you baby,  
And I don't wanna miss a thing.’_**  
  
A warmth begins in your chest. Your hand hides a huge goofy smile of your own. “I'm so happy for them.” You look over at Sans.  
  
“me too.” He glances back at you with a matching smile. His eye lights are huge. The two of you turn back to the dancing.  
  
‘ ** _’cuz even when I dream of you,  
the sweetest dream will never do,  
I still miss you baby,  
And I don't wanna miss a thing,’_**  
  
“i didn't think this was possible anymore.”  
  
You look to the skeleton, but he keeps his focus on the boys. Were you meant to hear that? If you hadn't been paying attention, there was no way you'd have heard it. Especially with the music. Sans gives no indication that he spoke at all. After a long moment, you turn back to the dance floor as well.  
  
The implications of his words sit harshly in your gut.  
  
————-  
  
12 p.m  
  
BP and Guy disappeared briefly after the dance, reappearing about ten minutes later. Both you and Sans attempted to make jokes about where they had been , but they fell flat when you couldn’t see the reaction. The two went off together a bit after that. Part of you is worried that you can't directly see them. But...they're grown monsters. They can take care of themselves. Right?  
  
Looking across the table at Sans calms you down. He doesn't seem worried about them at all. But maybe he's the one to worry about. He's stopped fidgeting, and looking over the crowd. Instead he’s been downing drinks faster than you could imagine. You let out a small sigh.  
  
You hum along to the finishing notes of the last song. For a brief moment there is silence, before the DJ begins another. It’s played at a higher volume than the last, and chatter immediately begins across the ballroom.  
  
It takes you only a few notes before it hits you. Your eyes widen. Oh. Aw, hell yea. Your eyes slide over to Sans. The skeleton is staring into his glass, swishing around another unknown drink.  
  
Sensing your look, he turns his head to look back at you. “uh, ‘sup?”  
  
A wild grin grows on your face. “This song!” It’s so perfect. Sans looks back at you in obvious confusion.  
  
You gesture towards the dance floor. A group of people are already in the middle, creating a lose grid to dance. Those not dancing decide to move to the sides, watching the spectacle.  
  
Sans follows your line of vision, before stiffening and looking back at you. “no.”  
  
“Awe, please?”  
  
“i said i don't dance. two-"  
  
“-left feet, I know.” You groan, rubbing a hand down your cheeks. They feel warmer than usual. In fact, your entire body feels warmer than usual. When did the alcohol start hitting you? “The steps are easy, I promise! I’ll show you.” You push yourself away from the table, looking expectantly at your friend. **  
  
** “heh, i-“  
  
“C’mon Sans.” You interrupt, reaching out a hand. “Just shut up and dance with me!”Sans looks at your hand with wide eye sockets. His eye lights shift between your hand, the dance floor and settle on your face.  
  
“…alright.” He raises his glass to his mouth, downing it in one go. Impressive. Slamming the glass on the table, he reaches for your hand.  
  
The moment his hand touches yours, you grasp back and pull him from his spot. You lead him into the fray, smiling widely as you finally reaching the grid of dancing costumes. You grab a spot near the edge and pull Sans beside you.  
  
‘ **I am not trying to seduce you.’  
**  
“what do I do?!”  
  
“Follow my movements!” You smile, and join the group.  
  
‘ **When I dance they call me Macarena  
And the boys they say que soy buena’**  
  
Sans watches you for a moment, unmoving.  
  
‘ **They all want me  
They can’t have me.  
So they all come dance beside me.’**

**  
** Has he changed his mind? You look at him with a raised eyebrow, mouthing the next words along with the song.  
  
**‘Move with me  
Chant with me’  
** ‘ **And if you’re good, I’ll take you home with me.’  
  
** His hands begin to move, slowly raising to match where yours are. You send him a wide grin.  
  
‘ **Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena  
Que tu cuerpo es pa’ dare alegria why cost buena’  
  
** Sans starts to move along to the dance, a bit slower than the rest. Still, he’s doing it!  
  
‘ **Dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena’  
‘Hey Macarena'  
  
** “Hey Macarena!” You call out at the same time as the song. Letting out a laugh, you begin to repeat the steps.  
  
‘ **Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena  
Que tu cuerpo es pa’ dare alegria why cost buena’  
** ‘ **Dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena’  
  
** You glance again at your friend. He’s truly getting it, hands and arms moving perfectly. A small smile starts to appear on his face. **  
  
‘Hey Macarena’  
**  
The two of you fall into the easy steps. Sans is doing surprisingly good. More people join the grid and soon the two of you are surrounded. But for once, you don’t feel claustrophobic You don’t feel worried at all. All you feel is the beat rushing through your body.  
  
Closing your eyes, you repeat the steps again. Lost in the music you feel five years old again, learning the moves from school friends.  
  
During a turn you take a step to the side, accidentally bumping into the skeleton. Opening your eyes, you look over at him. He looks back at you with a wide smile. You return it, letting out a laugh. He joins in, and for a moment you are both stood still on the dance floor.  
  
As he laughs, you notice his eye lights are brighter than ever and…twinkling? Your brain freezes. Oh wow. Thats…  
  
_amazing_  
  
‘ **Hey Macarena’**  
  
You take the lyrics as an out, returning to the dance quickly. Sans follows suit, still laughing. Pushing the image of a laughing skeleton out of your mind, you fall back into the rhythm of the song.  
  
But, all good things have to end. The song starts its last round. It’s over quickly.  
  
“Hey Macarena!”“hey macarena!”  
  
The two of you yell in sync at the end, voices joining the harmony of the many others around you. People stop dancing at all sides. Some immediately vacate the floor, while others stand around and laugh and talk.  
  
You look over at Sans. He’s breathing a bit heavily, cheeks dark with alcohol and looking at you with a wide grin that you can’t help but return. His eyes are doing that…twinkly thing again.  
 _  
Thump. Thump.  
  
_ You freeze, glancing away. What was that? Why does your chest feel weird? You look back at Sans.  
  
_Thump. Thump.  
  
_ Your heart feels full. You haven’t felt this way since…  
  
 _Thump. Thump._  
  
**_No._**  
  
Your hands fall to your side, panic creeping into your mind. Sans notices your sudden change in demeanour and takes a step closer. His eye sockets narrow slightly in concern. He opens his mouth to ask. Oh god. What will you say? How will you-  
  
The next song fades out suddenly, and the MC steps up to the microphone.  
  
“ **LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I’M HONOURED TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR ESTEEMED HOST HAS ARRIVED. THAT’S RIGHT FOLKS. THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE MAGNIFICENT METTATON.”**  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY FAVES
> 
> Finally we have some emotion haha! I'm so happy we made it here! 
> 
> I've had an exciting few weeks. As part of my job I had an opportunity to talk to a few A-list celebrities one on one and I'm still in shock. In order to make this happen I had to work harder than ever before but I think it was worth it. I still missed you guys!
> 
> I know I say this a lot but THANK YOU so much for all your support! I love you all!
> 
> -J <3


	27. The Sour Keys

The lights around you dim. You cringe as a deafening cheer erupts in the ballroom. Fighting the urge to cover your ears, you look over at Sans. The skeleton’s eye sockets are wide, pricks of light locked on a far area of the room.You follow his line of vision to the lit up MC podium.  
  
“Welcome, Beauties, to the worlds annual Mett Gala!!!” **  
  
** Three huge spotlights shine down on the robot himself. Another loud cheer echoes through the room. Mettaton strikes a pose beside the MC, who attempts to hand over the microphone. _Does Mettaton even need a microphone?_ His voice was loud enough just then. But the robot accepts it happily, holding it up to his mouth. **  
  
“** I hope everyone is having a FABULOUS TIME!” Ugh, nope, he definitely doesn’t need that microphone. More applause and cheering. Mettaton looks around the room with a dazzling smile. His eyes scan the audience from right to left.  
  
_Wait._  
  
The robotic eyes stop suddenly when they pass by your area. But he can’t possibly see you from this far away, right? In this lighting? Still, he pauses a moment longer in your direction before continuing with his speech. What was that all about?  
  
You start to ignore the speech after the seventh ‘fabulous’ that Mettaton says. Your eyes drift around the ballroom, pausing on a few more celebrities in immediate vicinity. _What the hell is my life?_ As you look around, your eyes land back on your friend. He isn’t paying attention to Mettaton either. He stands taller than normal, eye scanning the room almost frantically. You can immediately guess what -or well WHO- he’s looking for. A beat of excitement ripples in your soul. This is actually going to happen. Oh man. You’re nervous. REALLY nervous. What if this all goes wrong somehow? You still don’t even really know what happened between the skeleton brothers or how Mettaton is involved.  
  
“Excuse me, miss?” An extremely close voice startles you from your thoughts. You turn quickly towards it, eyes wide. A woman in a butlers uniform stands in front of you, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and the top half of her face covered in an ornate mask.  
  
“Uh, hi?”  
  
The woman presents a tray, similar to those before that held the still unknown alcohol. But this tray holds no food or drink. Instead, it holds only a single key. “I have been instructed to give this to you.”  
  
Instructed? What? By who? You glance back at the robot on the podium. Mettaton is still there, posing dramatically to emphasize his speech. No, there's no way he’d see you from up here. So…who else knows we’re here? You look back at the butler. She hasn’t moved, seems almost set in stone. Shit. Okay. Taking in a deep breath, you reach forward and grab the key. The butlers face pulls into a small smile. She takes a bow and turns back, disappearing seamlessly back into the crowd.  
  
You watch the area she disappeared to for a moment longer, before looking down at the key. It looks…normal enough. You can tell there is a small engraving on it, but can not read it in this lighting.  
  
“Any ideas?” You turn back to Sans. He doesn’t acknowledge you. You frown. Did he not just see that? You reach forward, shaking his shoulder lightly. Startled, he looks back at you with wide eye sockets. “Sans?” He stares at you in confusion. You hold up the key and raise an eyebrow. “Lets go?”  
  
With a slow nod, he follows you off the dance floor towards the outside edge of the ballroom. You look around for BP or Guy as you walk. No sign of either of them. Are they further into the dance floor?  
  
When you reach the edge of the ballroom, you begin to look for a way out: a hallway, a balcony, anything a little bit quieter where you can focus. Luckily you end up somewhat close to an exit. Two large doors are held open, leading into a hallway. Without hesitation you start towards it.  
  
The hallway itself is ornate and wonderful. Small chandeliers line the ceiling and mirrors are placed on the walls to create a wonderful illusion. The sound of people in the ballroom quiets considerably as you walk into the hall, but the music is still pretty loud. Did they have speakers out here too?  
  
“where’d you get that?” The two of you pause a bit into the hallway, where only one or two people linger around. You give him a weird look.  
  
“What? Did you really not see the-“ You shake your head. “Whatever. I got approached by one of those butler people. You know, the ones that gave out the alcohol? I think they’re working the event or something. I dunno. But anyways, she gave me this key then disappeared.” Holding it up, you examine the engraving. “It says…A113?”  
  
Sans holds out his hand and you hand the key over. He takes a look. “it’s a room number.”  
  
You blink. “What? How do you know?”  
  
“the hallways are marked with letters. I noticed on the way in. we’re in hallway b.” He shrugs, handing the key back. Oh. Alright then.  
  
  
—————  
  
  
A113 turns out to be…empty?  
  
You step into the room, looking around. There is no furniture or equipment, just curtains on the window and a piece of paper on the floor. Out of the corner of your eye you see Sans walk up as well. He looks around for a moment before disappearing. Reappearing in the corner. Disappearing. Reappearing across the room. Disappearing. Is he checking for traps?  
  
Eventually he stops in the middle, looking at you with a ‘i don’t know' gesture. You shrug back, walking up to the only other thing in the room: the paper. Reaching down you pick it up. Its an envelope. Hm.  


Still suspicious, you open the envelope. Pulling out the letter inside you find…nothing? The air crackles around you as you flip the paper over. Sans appears at your side. The paper seems to almost quiver in your hand. What the hell.  
  
“its magic.”  
  
“What?" You look over your shoulder at him. Sans reaches forward and touches the letter. Blue magic flows from his hand into the paper, illuminating it like little veins. Your eyes widen as letters begin to appear forming words.  
  
_**Hello Darling! Sans.  
  
Use this room tonight! It is so boring, nobody will check on you! But please bring my dear Papi back in fifteen minutes, his disappearance will be noticed!**_  
  
_**Sans, we need to talk. Soon.**_  
  
_**-M <3**_  
  
You read the note aloud before turning it over to check for any other messages. Nothing. Sans looks over your shoulder. “shit. okay, this is happening.” You hear his whisper. You pretend that you didn’t.  
  
“I’ll go get him then?” You look back at your friend, raising an eyebrow. It's up to him really. Sans looks at you for a long moment, before taking a few steps backwards.  
  
“yeah.” He leans against the wall, putting his hands behind his head. He looks calm, as if nothing is happening. But his grin is tighter, and his eyelights are almost nonexistent. It's really unnerving. “i guess i'll just wait here.”  
  
You nod and fold up the letter back into the envelope. Shoving it into your pocket, you turn back towards the door. "Lock it behind me. I have the key.” You whisper. He doesn't respond, but you know he hears you.  
  
Your heart beats wildly as you exit the room.  
  
—————  
  
Finding the skeleton in a room of halloween costumes SHOULD be difficult, really. But Papyrus’ height makes him easy to pick out even from across the ballroom. You take the long way around, avoiding the dance floor.  
  
As you get closer you realize that people have given him a wide berth. The skeleton has an area of about four meters between him and any human. It’s almost impressive in a crowded ballroom. But it makes your heart sting a bit.  
  
“Hey Papyrus!" You call out over the music, reaching out to touch his arm. He turns on a dime, eyes wide. When his eyes settle on you they return to normal size.  
  
“HUMAN! YOU ARE HERE!” He breaks out into a big smile. “MET TOLD ME YOU WOULD BE BUT I DIDN’T REALLY THINK YOU WOULD-“ He stops talking suddenly, seemingly unsure of his words. You frown, insecurity _really_ does not fit with this monster at all. He’s too big…too animated…too happy for that.  
  
For a moment the two of you stand in silence. Papyrus looks away around the dance floor, eye searching. You wonder what you could say to cheer him up. “Well, I had to see your dance moves.”  
  
“THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE. I AM AN ESTEEMED DANCER.” He looks back at you, nodding enthusiastically. “DO YOU WANT TO SEE MY MOVES NOW?”  
  
“No.” You shake your head, he looks a bit disappointed. “Well, uh,  YES actually, I do. But I sort of have a surprise for you.”  
  
“A SURPRISE? FOR ME?!” He bounces excitedly on his feet, covered hands clapping in front of his face.  
  
You laugh. “Yea, come with me!” With a small wave, you turn to walk the way you came. At first, you’re a bit surprised when people almost rush out of your way. But then again, every one seems to steer clear of the tall skeleton. He sticks close behind you as you walk, and quite a few humans send you disturbed looks. As if he was going to hurt you or something. You glance back at Papyrus. His face is neutral, but his eyes narrow slightly. You wonder if he is bothered by this more than he lets on.  
  
Getting back to the hallway entrance was a lot quicker this time around. You don't pause in walking but a few steps in, you realize that you've lost your shadow. You look back. He stands at the entrance, looking extremely unsure. “I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS.” He looks back at the dance floor, eyes scanning the room. What is he looking for?  
  
His eyes pause on the big crowd gathered around Mettaton. _Oh._  
  
“Don’t worry Papyrus.” You give him a comforting smile. At least, you hope so. “I talked to Mettaton first. Everything is okay, trust me.”  
  
Those seem to be the magic words. He perks up immediately, smile returning to his face and he takes a step forward. “OH. OKAY THEN.”  
  
You have to pause though, looking at him. He just…believed you. Just like that. What if you were lying? What if you wanted to hurt him? Would Mettaton notice he was gone?  
  
Something harsh hits you in your chest. Warmth. How can someone in his position trust another like this? To just…go off with someone and believe in their words. You get a brief flashback to meeting BP. At the time, you hadn't realized exactly how much of a leap of faith the monster had taken when he agreed to go with you. He was an injured, uncollared monster trusting a human he barely knew. How could he trust you? Were all monsters like this?  
  
Humans really are horrible creatures.  
  
Then again, Sans hadn’t trusted you from the beginning. Far from it actually. The memory sends a chill down your spine. The overwhelming fear, pain and uncertainty. It’s hard to think that the friend you just danced with is the same monster that caused all…that.  
  
Shit. You had been carefully avoiding thinking of the dance for a while. You didn't want to think of his huge smile, blue-tinted cheekbones or twinkling eyes.  
  
“HUMAN?”  
  
You snap out of it, looking up at Papyrus. He is directly in front of you, a concerned look on hi face. Another wave of warmth flows over you. “ARE YOU OKAY? YOUR FACE IS RED. DO YOU HAVE A FEVER?” He reaches out to put a hand on your forehead. “YOU ARE NOT HOT."  
  
Oh god. You duck away from his hand, turning around to face the other way. “Sorry. It's nothing." You place your hands on your cheeks, willing your face to calm down before you see the smaller skeleton again. “Let's go.” Papyrus doesn’t say anything, but follows you down the hallway.  
  
Eventually you reach room 113. It's closed and locked, as planned. Your hand shakes a little as you reach for the doorknob. With a quick turn of the key, it clicks open.  
  
“I hope you like your surprise.” You whisper as you open the door, taking a few steps into the room. You can hear him walk in behind you.  
  
“I AM SURE WHATEVER YOU’VE GOT ME WILL-“ A sharp intake of air stops his words. He pauses in the doorway. “…Sans?” A mere whisper.  
  
“hey bro.” Sans stands across the room, beads of sweat on his bones and a tense smile. His hand is up in a wave.  
  
For a moment everything is still. Then you blink.  
  
Papyrus is across the room, picking up Sans in a tight hug. The tall skeleton bursts into tears. You think he's attempting to talk, but all you can hear is ‘nyoo hoo hoo' and ‘brother’.  
  
You close the door, turning the lock. When you look back, Sans has returned the hug. His eyes are closed, but you think you can see blue pooling at the sides. Should you be seeing this? Oh damn, should you even be here? Still with indecision, you decide to just stand against the wall and look away. It’s awkward as hell. This moment between the skeleton brothers is not yours to witness. You don’t belong here. You shouldn't be seeing this.  
  
Well, at least the wallpaper is nice to look at?  
  
After a bit Papyrus’ tears calm down. You look back over at the sound of movement. The tall skeleton is moving towards you, carrying his brother in one arm. He stops a foot in front of you, staring down with an intense look. You give him an awkward smile.  
  
He shifts Sans in his grip and bends over. You flinch backwards slightly as his arm comes up around you. His hand rests in the middle of your back. Then he pulls you forward. “Thank you.” Its quiet and sincere.  
  
Oh.  
  
Suddenly you’re a part of the hug, a part of the moment. You freeze for a second before hugging the big skeleton back. “I, uh, didn’t really do anything. Don’t worry about it."  
  
A weight hits your shoulder, causing you to turn your head. Sans looks at you from...well extremely close. You can feel your cheeks begin to heat up. “no. you did a lot. thanks.” Well you’re completely red now. You turn your head away from Sans, trying to ignore the deep chuckle that you hear.  
  
_Thump. Thump._  
  
Oh hell.  
  
You gently pry yourself from Papyrus’ grip, sending him a smile. “I’ll go outside and uh, be lookout. Let you guys have a bit of privacy and talk amongst yourselves.” Without further hesitation, you turn and leave the room.  
  
It’s only when the door lock clicks behind you that you relax slightly. What the hell is wrong with you?  
  
—————  
  
You glance at the clock. Twenty minutes already. Too long.  
  
Already regretting it, you unlock the door and head back in. Papyrus is still holding onto his brother, but the atmosphere is more tense than before. Sans has his hand frozen in the air, half way towards the crack in his brothers skull. The smaller skeleton has a grimace on his face.  
  
"I think it’s time to head back out boys."  
  
“BUT-BUT-“ Papyrus doesn’t want to let go of Sans. His grip tightens. You look up at his panicked face with a frown. You don’t want to break this up at all. You don’t want to be the bad guy here. It’s not fair.  
  
Luckily, Sans bails you out. “it’s okay bro. i’ll still be here.” He pats Papyrus’ skull with a resigned sigh. “we’ll see each other again soon.” At this, he glances at you. You smile awkwardly.  
  
Slowly, Papyrus lets his brother down onto his feet. The two of them stand in silence, the atmosphere heavy and tense. Being here is awkward, and you want to leave.  
  
A new song begins in the background, capturing your attention with the familiar beat. You grin.  
  
_Well, that works._  
  
You turn to face the taller skeleton. “C’mon Papyrus, didn’t you promise to show me your moves?”  
  
_‘ **She’s into superstitions  
Black cats and voodoo dolls.’’**_  
  
Papyrus perks up a bit. “YES. I DID.”  
  
The idea clearly excites him. Your smile softens. “Well, let’s dance!" You reach out a hand. A sudden feeling of deja vu hits you, and you glance over at Sans. The smaller skeleton stares right back.  
  
_‘ **I feel a premonition  
That girls gonna make me fall.’**_  
  
You begin to pull him away the second his hand touches yours. He doesn’t resist, but his eyes stay firmly locked on his brother as you two leave. You don’t look back.  
  
The moment the door clicks closed behind you he rushes forward, pulling you quickly down the hall. “LET US HURRY!”  
  
You can’t help but laugh. “That’s the spirit!”  
  
_‘ **She’s into new sensations  
New kicks in the candlelight.'** ‘_ **  
  
** The two of you make it to the of the dance floor quicker than expected. People almost jolt out of your way with Papyrus leading. He lets go of your hand, turning to face you.  
  
He suddenly looks unsure. It doesn’t fit his face.  
  
_**‘She’ll make you take your  
Clothes off and go dancing in the rain’**_  
  
Giving him a big smile, you reach forward to grasp his hands. With a quick pull, you try to lead him in dancing. Its a bit awkward as he’s much larger than you and well.. he doesn’t move much.  
  
_‘_ ** _She’ll make you live her crazy life_  
_But she’ll take away your pain.’_  
  
** He looks around wildly. “HUMAN! YOU ARE BAD AT THIS. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING!”  
  
“So what?” You stare straight at him and raise an eyebrow. “Let them look.”  
**  
_‘Like a bullet to your brain’_**  
  
A huge smile pulls over his face. You feel like you’ve won something.  
  
_‘ **Upside inside out  
She’s livin’ la vida loca’**_  
  
His hands move to switch your grip so your hands rest in his. He pulls you forwards and suddenly your dancing. _Actually_ dancing.  
  
**_‘She’ll push and pull you down_  
_Livin’ la vida loca’_  
  
** How is he THIS good?  
  
Dancing with Papyrus is not at all like dancing with Sans. The people around you give a wide berth, but you barely notice as the skeleton leads you in complicated circles around the dance floor. His feet move quickly, like skating on the floor. You manage to pick up on his quick spins and moves enough to dance along.  
  
You separate for a moment. Dancing solo, you’re much less graceful. Still you manage a few good moves. After one particular turn, you catch a glimpse of a dark figure standing against the wall.  
  
Sans? Is he watching us?  
  
Then a covered hand grabs yours, pulling you back into the moment. People around you blur as you get twirled around in his grip. You let out a laugh, letting him steady you as you come to a stop.  
  
“Damn Papyrus, you have sk-“  
  
A bang. Loud. Sudden. It cuts through the song.  
  
People around you pause, looking around curiously. You look towards the MC podium. He’s still up there, thank god.  
  
BANG. Closer. The song fades away to nothing.  
  
A tense silence fills the room. The MC is gone. Shit. You clutch Papyrus’ hand tighter. What the hell is happening?!  
  
**BANG.** Is that a _gunshot_?  
  
Huge entrance doors slam open. The tension shatters to panic. Someone screams in the distance, and suddenly people are moving. Rushing.  
  
To where?  
  
Does anyone know?  
  
Another scream.  
  
Something hits your side and the floor comes rushing towards you. Your hand breaks from Papyrus as you catch yourself before you hit your face. Someone kicks your leg as they run by. You groan, pushing up to look back.  
  
He’s gone. Papyrus is gone.  
  
_Shit._  
  
Pushing yourself up is harder than it should be. People begin to push at you from all sides, trying to rush past.  
  
Trying to flee.  
  
Your breath gets harsher, faster. Your leg hurts. You can’t move. You don’t even know which way to go. You’re stuck.  
  
Are you going to get trampled?  
  
A loud screech- like nails on a chalkboard- echoes angrily throughout the ballroom. Like magic, people freeze all around you. Trying to locate the source.  
  
The podium. But the MC is gone.  
  
A man in a familiar dark MRC uniform stands holding a a megaphone. Your breath catches in your throat.  
  
_Mac._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY LOVELYS
> 
> I've never had a chapter give me THIS much trouble before :'( 
> 
> I rewrote each part dozens of times and it's still not...how I want it. Parts feel a bit rushed and don't have every single nuance I wanted UGH. I even cut out an entire part because it wasn't working. But I realized if I don't put it out, I'll never get to the next better ones haha. 
> 
> Still I hope you guys enjoy it! Sorry for the cliffhanger haha. A few of those are on the way ;) Especially now that things are HAPPENING!
> 
> -J♡


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